(Reuters) – The Texas health department on Friday reported 709 cases of measles in the state, an increase of 7 cases since May 6, as the U.S. battles one of its worst outbreaks of the childhood disease.

Cases in Gaines County, the center of the outbreak, were unchanged at 403 since the last update, the Texas Department of State Health Services said, signaling a slowdown in spread.

Ninety-two patients have been hospitalized, the agency said.

New Mexico’s health department reported 71 cases on Friday, the same as the last update.

Most of the state’s cases are from Lea County, adjacent to Gaines County in Texas.

Lack of forceful advocacy for vaccination from government health officials and statements on unproven treatments are hampering the fight against rising cases of measles nationwide, according to pediatricians and infectious disease experts.

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(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)