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Austin Public Health warns of measles exposures, reports several contract losses that could cut services
Summary
Austin Public Health briefed the court on measles cases, vaccination outreach and a series of federal grant terminations that threaten local public‑health operations; the department said it is reallocating city funds temporarily while awaiting federal guidance.
Austin Public Health on Tuesday told the Travis County Commissioners Court it is responding to recent measles cases in Texas and warned that recent federal grant cancellations and pauses are putting core public‑health services at risk.
APD‑led public‑health officials said there have been 775 measles cases in Texas as of the briefing, with 742 linked to a multi‑county outbreak and 33 non‑outbreak cases; two travel‑related cases have occurred in Austin‑Travis County. The department has tested 87 suspected cases locally, with two positives, 81 negatives and four results pending. Wastewater surveillance in the county has not detected measles virus, staff said.
Dr. Walks (Austin Public Health) and departmental staff told the court APH has worked to raise vaccination coverage: publicly reported figures for the 2023–24 school year show 89.61% of Travis County kindergartners and 87.84% of seventh graders fully vaccinated for required childhood vaccines; APH staff said the department seeks 95% coverage to achieve herd immunity for measles and has been running clinic and school‑focused outreach that contributed to improvements in several school zones.
At the same time, APH officials briefed the court on several federal funding interruptions that threaten local capacity. The department said the federal CDC canceled or paused some contracts that had underpinned core infectious‑disease work (immunization infrastructure, epidemiology and lab support and some HIV programs). APH Chief Administrative Officer Syed Azadi gave a budget snapshot: APH’s total FY25 budget is about $131 million; the City of Austin general fund provides roughly $92 million and grants cover roughly $39 million.
APH staff listed several grant impacts: the CDC immunization infrastructure contract was terminated effective March 31, 2025, reducing funding for enhanced vaccine operations; a bio‑surveillance (BioWatch) air monitoring grant was paused and providers told APH to cease new operations May 31, although APH extended local operations through June 27 while the city seeks federal reimbursement; and a set of HIV grants and testing funds were paused May 31, affecting about 19 FTEs. APH said some city funding has temporarily covered payroll for affected positions while the department seeks state or federal renewal but warned the suspensions could lead to permanent service losses if not resolved.
Speaking to the court, commissioners pressed APH for updated, consolidated figures on total grant reductions and requested data on which populations would be most affected. APH said it would provide an updated impact summary to the court because the situation is evolving week‑to‑week.
In other public‑health news discussed at the briefing, APH staff described expanded opioid‑response investments, naloxone distribution partners and training for city staff, and described legislative changes affecting local environmental health functions. Staff said House Bill 2844 will shift mobile food permitting responsibilities from local health departments to the state (Texas Department of State Health Services) and that the change could eliminate roughly $635,000 in local revenue and change inspection workflows; APH staff raised concerns about state staffing and response time for food safety inspections.
No formal court action was requested; commissioners thanked APH staff and asked for follow‑up details on the aggregate funding impacts and the demographic groups most likely to be affected by grant losses.
