Confirmed Measles Case Reported Near Dallas

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Friday reported a confirmed case of measles in the state.

The child, who has been treated and is recovering, lives in Hood County, about 75 minutes southwest of Dallas.

The last confirmed measles case in Texas was in 2019.

“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases may occur,” DSHS said in a statement. “We advise clinicians to follow the recommendations below and report any suspected cases to their local health department, preferably while the patient is present.”

The infected child had no history of traveling to an area impacted by measles.

“This is the first confirmed case of measles in Texas since travel-related outbreaks in 2019, which led to 23 cases,” DSHS said. “Two doses of the measles vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles, however, even vaccinated people can occasionally become infected.”

DSHS said measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness, transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.

“The measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area,” DSHS said. “The illness usually starts a week or two after someone is exposed, with symptoms like a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A few days later, the telltale rash breaks out as flat, red spots on the face and then spreads down the neck and trunk to the rest of the body.”

A person with the virus is contagious for about four days and should not go to school or work.

“The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of the measles-containing vaccine, which is primarily administered as a combination of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine,” DSHS said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children receive one dose at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years.