SAN ANTONIO – While a measles case has yet to be confirmed in San Antonio and Bexar County, hundreds of thousands of residents may have been exposed to the virus spreading rapidly throughout the state.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that an unvaccinated child died of measles Tuesday night at a Lubbock hospital. The school-aged child’s death is the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.
According to a Tuesday report from the Texas Department of State Health Services, 124 measles cases have been confirmed statewide.
On Wednesday, KXAS reported the first measles case in Rockwall County, which is located approximately 30 miles east of Dallas.
Health officials told KXAS that they do not believe the Rockwall County case is connected to the outbreak in West Texas.
As of Tuesday’s statewide update, numbers appear to indicate that Gaines County is the epicenter of the measles outbreak in the Lone Star State. In all, 80 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the West Texas county.
Potential San Antonio exposure
The City of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Health District said Sunday 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 University of Texas at San Antonio’s main campus, several River Walk attractions and a bar in Live Oak on Feb. 15.
UT Health San Antonio infectious disease expert Dr. Jason Bowling joined KSAT for a Q&A during Monday night’s 6 O’Clock News to answer questions about the outbreak and the effectiveness of the measles vaccine.
“The good news is that the measles vaccine is very effective and very durable,” Bowling said Monday. “Meaning that if you’ve had two recommended doses of that measles vaccine, it’s understood that that gives you lifelong protection. Two doses will get you to 97% protection. People that are vaccinated should feel comfortable that they are pretty well protected with the vaccine.”
The county’s current measles vaccination rate is not enough to achieve herd immunity, according to Bowling.
“When we look at vaccine rates, we really want to see that we have enough herd immunity,” Bowling said. “Immunity in our community that we can protect people that might not be able to get the vaccine, which is a small number of people, or some people that are immunocompromised that may not respond to the vaccine.”
“That magic number is right around 95%, so we’re just below that,” Bowling continued. “We’d like to see it at 95% or higher to have the best protection for those people that can’t get the vaccine.”
Metro Health reported a 94% measles vaccination rate among children who are entering school in Bexar County.
Several San Antonio-area school districts, including San Antonio ISD, sent out tips to students' families shortly after the potential exposure was reported.
An SAISD spokesperson told KSAT that the district is adhering to its “fever-free guidelines,” which is a recommendation that students stay home if they have a fever.
In an email, Northside ISD officials suggested that families ensure their children’s vaccination records are up to date and to report any measles symptoms to their health care providers.
The Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District said Wednesday that it is “weighing its options” before communicating them to the public.
More measles-related coverage on KSAT:
