North Texas child diagnosed with measles, state's first case since 2019
HOOD COUNTY, Texas - A young North Texas child is recovering after being diagnosed with measles.
The child, who lives in Hood County, had no history of travel to an area where measles is spreading and didn't have any contact with a person known to have measles, according to an alert from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The child was treated and is recovering.
This is the state's first confirmed case of measles since 2019, when travel-related outbreaks led to 23 cases.
Measles Exposure and Symptoms
Measles is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or spread through breath, coughs or sneezes.
The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours.
If infected, the illness usually starts a week or two after exposure.
Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
A few days later, the infected generally develops a rash with flat, red spots on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
A person is usually contagious four days before the rash develops until four days after.
Measles Vaccinations
Doctors suggest that children get a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at 12-15 months old and a second dose 4 to 6 years old.
Children who are not vaccinated or only have one dose are more likely to get infected and more likely to have severe issues if they do get sick.