SAN ANTONIO – Updated at 6:21 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
As the measles outbreak in West Texas continues to expand, San Antonio’s health officials are raising awareness about the virus.
In a Community Health Committee briefing on Friday, Anita Kurian, the assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, reiterated that Bexar County has no reported measles cases.
A Gaines County resident, who later tested positive for measles, visited San Antonio and surrounding areas during Valentine’s Day weekend.
Kurian said Metro Health contacted the locations where the resident visited and has not identified any infections.
>> What to know about a potential measles exposure in San Antonio area
Ahead of the busy spring travel season, health officials are bracing for potential exposure from an infected individual, Kurian said.
Watch the full briefing below.
Here’s what to know about measles and the potential exposure in San Antonio, as of Friday’s briefing.
Potential exposure at numerous locations
On Feb. 23, Metro Health announced that a Gaines County resident, who later tested positive for measles, visited San Antonio and surrounding areas during Valentine’s Day weekend.
Health officials confirmed the Gaines County resident visited the following locations in the San Antonio area on Feb. 15:
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University of Texas at San Antonio main campus between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
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River Walk attractions including the Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Ripley’s Illusion Lab between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
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Mr. Crabby’s Seafood and Bar in Live Oak between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
On Friday, Kurian said it is possible the person came in contact with hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors.
So far, no cases of measles have been confirmed.
Gaines County is located in West Texas, north of Odessa.
>> State health officials say no measles case at Cibolo charter school
Signs and symptoms
Measles symptoms typically appear between seven and 14 days after exposure.
They include:
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High fever (can be higher than 104°F)
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Diarrhea
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Ear infections
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Runny nose (coryza)
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Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
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Tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin
The virus spreads through the air when the infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain airborne up to two hours after the infected person has left the room, Kurian said.
Anyone who is not vaccinated against measles is at risk, she added.
What to know about vaccines
The best protection against measles is the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR or MMRV), Kurian said.
MMR vaccine
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The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. It is available for children (12 months of age and older) and adults who do not have evidence of immunity.
MMRV vaccine
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The MMRV vaccine protects against four diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). MMRV vaccination is licensed for use in children 12 months to 12 years of age.
Most health insurance companies cover the cost of the MMR and MMRV vaccines.
People without insurance can get an MMR vaccine at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or at Metro Health. Click here for more information.
Those born before 1957 are considered to be naturally immune against measles because prior to 1957, measles was widespread, Kurian said.
“Folks who are born on or after 1957 but were vaccinated with measles vaccines prior to 1968 should get revaccinated with one dose of (the) current MMR vaccine,” she said. “And this is because in the early 1960s, the vaccine that was used against measles was an inactivated vaccine.”
Vaccine rates in San Antonio
Kurian said Metro Health does not expect a widespread transmission of the virus due to high measles vaccination coverage among kindergarteners and first graders.
The measles vaccination rate in San Antonio is 94%, which is 1% percent below the desired target, Kurian said.
There are certain pockets of the San Antonio community with lower rates.
>> How Bexar County school districts compare by measles vaccination rate
Kurian said they are working with schools in the San Antonio area, especially in those communities, on awareness of the virus.
She added they will hold pop-up vaccination events as needed. Once announced, the dates and locations of those events will be included on the city’s measles webpage.
There have been four measles cases in Bexar County in the last 20 years, she said.
Measles was considered eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. The recent uptick is due to
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Increased measles cases globally.
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Overall MMR vaccination rate in the U.S. is below the targeted rate of 95%. It’s 92.7% among kindergartners nationally, Kurian said.
First death in Texas, number of cases rises
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that an unvaccinated child died of measles Tuesday night at a Lubbock hospital, marking the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.
>> Track the latest measles numbers in Texas
As of Friday, Feb. 28, the Texas Department of State Health Services has identified 146 measles cases in Texas since late January. Twenty patients were taken to a hospital for further treatment.
More measles-related coverage on KSAT:
