The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed the first case of measles in Rockwall County.
ROCKWALL COUNTY, Texas — The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has confirmed the first case of measles in Rockwall County, according to a news release.
The DSHS stated that the confirmed case of measles was discovered in an unvaccinated adult resident and was reported to their department on Feb. 25.
“All direct contacts of this individual have been notified for observation,” the Rockwall County Health Authority said.
The Rockwall County Emergency Management Department confirmed to WFAA that the patient is currently hospitalized. The department and DSHS also said the patient recently traveled internationally.
As of now, DSHS said it doesn’t appear that the individual visited public places in Rockwall why they were contagious.
DSHS said they don’t believe this case is connected to the West Texas outbreak, where the first death due to measles was reported Wednesday morning. DSHS said the patient was an unvaccinated school-aged child.
This latest confirmed case of measles brings the total amount to 125 across the state of Texas. The state health department data shows that a majority of the reported measles cases are in children.
According to Rockwall Health Authority Dr. Dirk Perritt, measles is a serious illness that can lead to severe complications, especially in children.
Due to the highly contagious nature of measles, unvaccinated people and pregnant people are the most at risk, Dr. Perritt said. Those who are vaccinated with the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine are unlikely to contract measles the release stated.
Symptoms usually begin 7 to 14 days after infection, the CDC said.
Early symptoms
- High fever (may spike to more than 104°)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes or conjunctivitis
- Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin
Measles rash
A rash typically appears three to five days after the first symptoms, according to the CDC. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
- Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
- The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
- When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
“We will continue to keep the community informed and work closely with local healthcare providers and DSHS. We appreciate everyone’s efforts to keep Rockwall County healthy and safe,” Dr. Perritt said in a news release.
