Health officials in Tarrant County, Texas have confirmed a Tarrant County resident has tested positive for Measles after returning home from India.
Image/David Benbennick
The resident flew from India and had a stop in Dubai, arriving at DFW Airport on January 6. The infectious period ended on January 7.
The CDC is determining the number of exposed passengers on the international flight. TCPH is investigating who might have been exposed in Tarrant County. So far, the investigation has revealed a limited exposure to area residents.
Measles is an airborne disease spread by coughing and sneezing. It causes a reddish rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. It usually lasts one to two weeks. The rash begins on the face and head and then proceeds downward and outward to the hands and feet. It fades in the same order it began, from head to feet.
“We take the health of any traveler who returns to Tarrant County with signs or symptoms of a disease seriously,” says TCPH Health Director Vinny Taneja. “We are receiving cooperation from everyone involved in this case and feel confident the public is safe.”
TCPH would like to remind residents that Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease. Adults who have received a Measles vaccine series are considered immune. Those who have not been immunized against Measles, or have never had Measles, should contact their healthcare provider.
Most people born in 1957 or after should have documentation of at least one dose of MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine or other evidence of immunity to Measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two doses of the vaccine. The first dose should be given at 12 months of age and the second between the ages of 4 to 6 years.
The last recorded case of Measles in Tarrant County was in July 2014. This case has no apparent ties to the current Disneyland-related measles outbreak in California.
For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
