Measles in Texas: Possible exposure in Gillespie County from infected El Paso resident

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas - Gillespie County health officials are warning residents about a possible measles exposure in Fredericksburg.

What we know:

State health officials say that an El Paso resident was infectious with measles while visiting Fredericksburg on Saturday, April 26.

Possible exposures may have happened at the locations and times below:

• 1:30-4 p.m. - Burger Burger at 209 E. Main Street
• 2:30-4:30 p.m. - Loca on Main at 201 E. Main Street
• 3-5 p.m. - Felt Boutique at 204 E. Main Street
• 3:30-5:30 p.m. - Allens Boots at 131 E. Main Street

Big picture view:

This is the second possible exposure in Central Texas from an El Paso resident.

The same weekend, an El Paso tourist was in Austin, and one confirmed location of potential public exposure was at Terry Black's Barbecue on Barton Springs Road on Saturday, April 26.

State health officials say that as of May 6, 702 cases of measles have been confirmed since late January.

What is measles?

Dig deeper:

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 do I do if exposed or symptomatic?

If you believe you have been exposed to measles or are experiencing symptoms:

• Watch for symptoms, which typically develop 7–21 days after exposure.
• Isolate immediately if you have symptoms, to prevent spreading the virus to others.
• Contact your healthcare provider before going in to arrange testing in a way that minimizes exposure to others.
• Receiving a measles vaccine within 3 days or immunoglobulin (IG) within 6 days of exposure can prevent illness.  Contact your healthcare provider for more information.