Health authorities in Texas are on high alert following the confirmation of at least four cases of measles in the state over the past two weeks. Among the affected individuals are two school-aged children, leading to concerns regarding the potential rapid spread of this highly contagious disease. The cases have been reported in multiple areas, including Lubbock, Harris County, and Gaines County.
Last week, Lubbock reported its first case of measles in more than two decades, raising a significant issue in public health. Meanwhile, vaccination rates in Texas have seen a rapid decrease over the past four years. Consequently, the Texas Department of State Health Services has issued a cautionary advisory, recommending that residents, especially those who are not vaccinated, to take necessary precautions.
Laura Anton, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said the agency sent out an alert to health providers statewide once measles cases were reported in two adult residents in Harris County earlier in January. The alert stated that the initial two cases in Harris County were unvaccinated adults residing in the same household. Officials from the Health Department in Houston said the cases of measles were linked to the recent overseas trip taken by the pair and provided a list of potential places and dates where the individuals might have been exposed.
The state health agency has also confirmed two measles cases in the South Plains, both affecting school-aged children who were not vaccinated. Anton mentioned that these individuals were admitted to the hospital but have since been discharged.
“We are collaborating with the South Plains Public Health District and healthcare providers to determine potential community exposures,” said Katherine Wells, the Lubbock Health Department’s health director. The state health agency is helping with the disease investigation in Lubbock and the South Plains region.
Austin Public Health has issued a warning about the possible spread of measles, advising people to take precautions to protect themselves and their families. The most recent documented case of measles in Austin was in December 2019.
The increase in the number of cases across the state coincides with a drop in the measles vaccination rate among kindergarteners, which has decreased from nearly 97% in the 2019-2020 school year to 94.3% in 2023-24. Texas, like most states, has experienced a decrease in vaccination rates since the pandemic.
How do you protect yourself from measles?
Desmar Walkes, who is the medical director and health authority for Austin/Travis County, stated that vaccination is the most effective way to protect against measles and other preventable diseases. “By staying up to date on vaccinations, we not only protect ourselves but also the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective way to build immunity against the virus, according to John Hopkins Medicine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, in order to prevent measles from spreading within a community, it is necessary for at least 95% of the population to be vaccinated against the disease.
Credits: (The Texas Tribune & Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
