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The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reporting a confirmed case of measles in a resident of McCulloch County. The last confirmed measles case in Texas was in June 2023 in Hood County.

Image/CDC

Both were in non-school-aged children.

Neither has a history of travel to an area where measles is spreading, and no other risk factors for exposure were identified. Both cases had received one dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. At this time, public health officials do not suspect these cases are related.

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, usually on the face first and then spreading 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.

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The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, which is primarily administered as the combination MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles, however even vaccinated people can occasionally become infected. DSHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend children receive one dose at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years. Children too young to be vaccinated or individuals who have only had one dose of vaccine are more likely to get infected and more likely to have severe complications if they do get measles.

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