The measles outbreak that started in the South Plains region of Texas surpassed 700 cases on Tuesday, according to health officials. The latest update from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows the state has seen 702 cases of measles since the outbreak began spreading in late January.

More than 700 cases of measles have been confirmed in an outbreak across Texas, state health officials reported Tuesday, as other outbreaks of the highly contagious illness spread across dozens of other states.

With less than 5% of infected individuals in Texas vaccinated, health officials highlight the urgent need for increased measles immunization rates in communities.