SAN ANTONIO – Hundreds of thousands of people in San Antonio may have been exposed to measles during Valentine’s Day weekend, according to state and local health officials.
In a news release Sunday, the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District said a person visiting from Gaines County in West Texas had later tested positive for measles.
“There is a very good possibility that hundreds of thousands of folks have come in contact with (the person),” said Metro Health Deputy Director Dr. Anita Kurian.
In Sunday’s release, the city said the infected person visited the University of Texas at San Antonio’s main campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 15.
A UTSA spokesman told KSAT in an email that the school was conducting an open house that day.
According to the release, the person also visited several downtown tourist attractions between 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Ripley’s Illusion Lab and Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks.
The person also had dinner between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Mr. Crabby’s Seafood and Bar in Live Oak the same night, the release said.
A spokesman with the state health department confirmed that the infected person who visited San Antonio is the same one who may have exposed people in Hays County to measles on Feb. 14.
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On Feb. 16, the same person also visited Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels, according to the state health department.
As of Friday, the Department of State Health Services has confirmed 90 measles cases across seven counties since late January.
Fifty-seven of those cases are out of Gaines County, and many of the infected people are school-age children, according to department’s website.
Kurian said there is no word of anyone locally contracting the illness so far. The last reported measles case in San Antonio was in 2017.
“There is a cause for concern so long as measles exists in other communities, other states, even other countries,” Kurian said. “Nine out of 10 persons who are not vaccinated or had protection against measles in the past can get the disease.”
Kurian said San Antonio is at about a 94% vaccination rate for measles. She said it needs to be in the high 90s to prevent an outbreak.
Symptoms and risks
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air. Symptoms include fever, cough, watery and red eyes and a telltale red rash.
People may also develop white spots in their mouths within days of experiencing other symptoms, according to Metro Health. The red rash may appear afterward, starting on the forehead or face, then spreading to the body.
For some people, the virus can have more severe consequences.
Pregnant women, babies, young children and people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable, Kurian said.
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Kurian said the best defense is to get the vaccine or at least make sure they are up to date.
She said in most cases, once a person is vaccinated, it provides lifetime protection against the measles and there is no need for a booster shot.
San Antonio resident Marilyn Burross said her vaccines are up to date, but she is concerned about others.
“That does kind of bother me a little bit, just because I work with the general public on a daily basis,” Burross said.
KSAT emailed all the locations impacted by the potential exposure.
Only UTSA has responded as of Monday afternoon, providing a copy of a letter that was sent to students:
“Roadrunners, We’re writing to share that today the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District informed us that a visitor from Gaines County, TX, who toured the main campus on February 15 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. during UTSA Day has now tested positive for measles. We believe the individual’s infectious window was likely after their date of visit. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are notifying our community and working closely with the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to share information with anyone who may have been exposed to the infected individual. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated. Although infection is unlikely for those who are vaccinated, we want to share the symptoms of measles so that you can monitor your health appropriately:
- High fever (up to 105°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Sore throat
- Rash (typically appears 3–5 days after initial symptoms, starting on the face and spreading downward)
If you have these symptoms, please stay home from work or school and immediately contact an urgent care facility or your physician. The measles vaccine, contained in the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR), is highly effective for individuals who have received the recommended two doses. Individuals who have not received the MMR vaccine or only one dose should consider getting up to date for full protection. A telemedicine visit may be recommended to prevent the potential spreading of the virus. For more information about measles, visit the Texas Health and Human Services page. Your health and wellbeing are our top priorities, and we are here to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions."
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