Measles update: 124 cases in a month reported in the South Plains region of Texas

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in West Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services now reports 124 cases since late January.

Cases have been reported from nine West Texas counties: Gaines (80), Terry (21), Dawson (7), Yoakum (5), Dallam (4), Martin (3), Ector (2) and one each in Lubbock and Lynn counties.

Eighteen of the patients have been hospitalized. Five of the cases are vaccinated. The rest are unvaccinated, or their vaccination status is unknown.

Additionally, Texas authorities issued a health alert Monday after a person with measles traveled from the outbreak area (Gaines County) to San Marcos and San Antonio before they knew they were infected.

The measles virus can survive in the air for up to two hours, so the times listed include two hours after the individual left that location. Because measles symptoms can begin 7 to 21 days after an exposure, DSHS is sharing this information with health care providers and the public in the area so unvaccinated people may monitor themselves for symptoms and seek testing if symptoms occur.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness, which can cause life-threatening illness to anyone who is not protected against the virus. Measles can be transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. People who are infected will begin to have symptoms within a week or two after being exposed. Early symptoms include 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 is contagious about four days before the rash appears to four days after. People who could have measles should stay home during that period.

People who think they have measles or may have been exposed to measles should isolate themselves and call their health care provider before arriving to be tested. It is important to let the provider know that the patient may have measles and to get instructions on how to come to the office for diagnosis without exposing other people to the virus.

The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella or MMR vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine prevent more than 97 percent of measles infections.