The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146 in an outbreak that led this week to the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child, health officials said Friday. The number of cases — Texas’ largest in nearly 30 years — increased by 22 since Tuesday.

Measles cases in Texas rose to 146 on Friday. The vast majority are connected to an outbreak in West Texas. And many of those patients -- nearly 50 of them -- are under the age of 4. Now some pediatricians are giving parents the option of vaccinated their babies sooner.

The number of confirmed measles cases in western Texas grew to 146, and it is possibly spreading to the central part of the state and neighboring New Mexico, health officials said Friday.