Tarrant County measles exposure raises concerns from health officials

TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - The exposure of measles in highly populated areas like hotels and malls is raising the level of concern for health officials.

There hasn’t been a confirmed case of measles in Tarrant County, but with a recent exposure, health officials are not ruling it out. 

On Friday, Tarrant County Public Health shared the news of an exposure to the measles virus in Grapevine last weekend.  

According to the release, the infected person is not from the area but was already infected with the measles virus when they visited the Great Wolf Lodge and Grapevine Mills Mall on March 28-30.

What they're saying:

"So, based on the information that we received from the department of state health services, this person developed a rash and tested positive on Monday of this week," Tarrant County Public Health Director Brian Byrd said. "That means they were contagious the previous four days during the entire time that they were in North Texas."    

Byrd said anyone who was at the Great Wolf Lodge or Grapevine Mills Mall last weekend should monitor themselves for symptoms.  

"So the incubation period is between seven and 21 days after exposure, so that would be as early as today," Byrd said. "So, what we're asking is for people who were there, who may have been exposed, and who have a runny nose and a fever, we'd like for you to call your physician and get instructions on what to do next."   

The Great Wolf Lodge sent FOX4 a statement saying it's aware of the potential exposure, but based on the timing from the health department, there's no concern for current or future guests.

We asked Byrd if the chlorine in the water at the Great Wolf Lodge water park would kill the virus.

"We're not counting on the presence of chlorine in the water to mitigate against the transmission of the virus from one person to another," Byrd said.  

The main concern remains with those who are not vaccinated.

So far, no measles cases have been reported in Tarrant County, but this recent exposure could change that. 

"We believe that this increased the likelihood that we will have a case in Tarrant County. Yes," Byrd said.  

And to minimize the spread, Byrd recommends that people don’t wait for a rash to appear before calling a doctor.

"The runny nose and the fever will precede the rash," Byrd said. "Please don't wait for the rash to come, because by then they will already have been contagious for three to four days."   

Byrd said that Tarrant County vaccination data shows 97 percent of seventh graders have gotten the measles vaccine, and 91 percent of kindergartners are vaccinated against it.

Health officials consider herd immunity to be 95 percent and, since young kids are especially susceptible to the disease, Byrd urges parents to keep a close eye on them.

Texas Measles Outbreak

The Texas Department of State Health Services says 481 people have been infected since late January.

Tarrant County was not listed in Friday's update.

The outbreak has seen 56 people hospitalized. One school-aged child died from complications with the measles.

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 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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