Fort Bend County health officials report measles case associated with international travel

MMR — the modern combination vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella — provides stronger, longer-lasting protection against measles than the stand-alone measles vaccine typically given in the U.S. in the early 19
A vial of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine sits on a countertop at a pediatrics clinic in Greenbrae, Calif., on Feb. 6, 2015.
Fort Bend County, a fast-growing suburban area southwest of Houston, reported a measles case on Sunday.
The case involves a woman between the ages of 50-60, according to the Fort Bend Health and Human Services department, which said the case is associated with recent international travel and not the outbreak in West Texas, which reached 400 cases as of Friday.
“I want to reassure our community that we are working closely with Health and Human Services to keep everyone informed,” Fort Bend County Judge KP George said in a news release. “Your safety and well-being remain my top priority. I urge all residents to check their immunization records, get vaccinated if necessary and stay vigilant for symptoms. Together, we can protect our families, neighbors and the greater Fort Bend community.”
Three measles cases have been reported this year in the nearby city of Houston, with health officials there saying the cases were not tied to the West Texas outbreak. The Houston Health Department announced in January that two adults in the same household had contracted the disease after traveling abroad, marking the city’s first measles cases since 2018. Earlier this month, an infant in Houston who also had returned from a trip out of the country was also diagnosed with measles.
Health officials in Fort Bend County said they’re conducting contact tracing to identify possible exposures.
“We want to reassure residents that our public health team is actively conducting case investigations and notifying potential contacts,” said Dr. Gale-Lowe, the director and local health authority for Fort Bend County Health and Human Services. “The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is through vaccination. The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is safe, effective and provides strong protection against measles.”
West Texas is the epicenter of a measles outbreak that has accounted for 400 of the nearly 500 cases reported in the United States this year. An unvaccinated child from Gaines County died in February, marking the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.

Author: Health Watch Minute

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