Denton County reports first measles case; infected person attended Rangers game

DENTON COUNTY, Texas - Health officials in Denton County reported the first case of measles in the county on Wednesday.

What we know:

Denton County Public Health said the person is an adult with an unknown vaccination status.

According to DCPH the person visited several locations between April 19-22.

Health officials said anyone who was at the following places should monitor themselves for symptoms until May 13, especially if you are unvaccinated or immunocompromised:

• Pretty Burrito, 500 Flower Mound Road, Flower Mound, TX, on April 19 from 10 a.m.- noon
• Donut Plaza, 1900 s Garden Ridge Rd, Flower Mound, TX, on April 19 from 10 a.m. - noon
• Rangers Republic at Texas Live!, 1605 E. Randol Mill Rd., Arlington, TX, on April 19 from 2 - 5 p.m.
• Globe Life Field, 734 Stadium Dr., Arlington, TX, on April 19 from 3-8 p.m.
• Guitars and Growlers, 400 Flower Mound Rd, Flower Mound, TX, on April 19 from 6 p.m - midnight.
• Walmart, 801 W. Main St., Lewisville, TX, on April 19 from 10 p.m. - April 20, 1 a.m.
• Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church at 6101 Morriss Rd, Flower Mound, TX, on April 20 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• WinCo Foods, 1288 W. Main St., Lewisville, TX, on April 21 from 8-11:30 p.m.
• Pho Tay Do, 1403 E. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, on April 22 from 3-6:30 p.m.

MLB reports the Rangers game the patient went to against the Dodgers was attended by 39,244 people.

What they're saying:

"Today’s case is further evidence that measles cases are on the rise – and the DFW area is no exception," said Dr. Matt Richardson, Director of Public Health. "While we haven’t linked this case to an existing outbreak, it highlights two realities: vaccines are important, and if you have signs and symptoms, you should be tested."

What we don't know:

Officials did not provide any other information on the patient.

Texas Measles Outbreak

State health officials on Tuesday said the number of measles cases in the state linked to a West Texas outbreak has grown to 663 since January.

There have been 87 patients hospitalized since the outbreak started. The state says these hospitalizations are from earlier in the outbreak, and the numbers may increase as DSHS receives records for earlier cases. The number of people currently in the hospital for measles has not been released.

Since January, 16 cases have been reported in people who were considered fully vaccinated and 12 cases in people who only had one dose of the vaccine. 

In Texas, two school-aged children have died from complications with the measles. Both were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions, state health officials said.

What is measles?

Why you should care:

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

Measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. 

Illness onset (high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes) begins a week or two after someone is exposed. 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 from about four days before the rash appears to four days after. People with measles should stay home from work or school during that period.

Symptoms of Measles

Common symptoms of measles include: 

• High fever (as high as 105°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red and watery eyes
• Tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth 2-3 days after symptoms begin
• Rash 3-5 days after other signs of illness. The "measles rash" typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.

How to prevent getting measles

The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.

Some vaccinated people can occasionally develop measles; however, they generally experience milder symptoms and are less likely to spread the disease to other people.

What to do if you've been exposed to measles

If you think you have measles or have been exposed to someone with measles, isolate yourself from others and call your healthcare provider before arriving to be tested so they can prepare for your arrival without exposing other people to the virus. Measles is extremely contagious and can cause life-threatening illness to anyone who is not protected against the virus. Review your and your child’s vaccination history to see if you are up-to-date on your measles vaccines. Additionally, discuss with your provider your vaccination history and any questions about these vaccines.

Controlling outbreaks in group settings

• People with confirmed or suspected measles should stay home from school, work, and other group settings until after the fourth day of rash onset.
• During an outbreak, people without documented immunity from vaccination or previous measles infection should be isolated from anyone with measles to protect those without immunity and control the outbreak.
• According to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Rule §97.7, schools and childcare settings shall exclude unimmunized children for at least 21 days after the last date the unimmunized child was exposed to a measles case.

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