East Texas' First Measles Case Confirmed In An Unvaccinated Teen

(Gregg County, Texas) East Texas has its first confirmed case of the measles. Seems it was inevitable that it was going to happen.

The measles began spreading among a mainly unvaccinated community in West Texas this past February and has since spread to several other states and communities across the US.

Sadly, two Texas children have died from the highly contagious disease, which is preventable through a vaccination.

Now, East Texas has a confirmed case of the measles

A 19-year-old man voluntarily arrived at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Hospital emergency room this past weekend, where he underwent testing and was confirmed to have the measles. According to a local media outlet, the patient was treated by the doctors who admitted him to a pressurized room because they believed he was contagious.

After treatment, he was released and returned home on Sunday. According to CBS 19, the Gregg County Health Authority, the teenage patient lives in Upshur County. So far, there is no word on how he contracted the highly contagious disease.

This aggressive disease can infect up to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people

As of Tuesday, April 15th, there have been 561 confirmed cases since late January. The Texas Department of State Health Services says that's an increase of 20 since the previous update on April 11th. Of those 561 cases, 4% are estimated to be actively infectious.

Fifty-eight patients have been hospitalized, and three Texans have lost their lives to this disease, including two children.

What is measles?

A highly contagious respiratory illness that is transmitted and contracted through infectious airborne droplets or spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.

The virus can remain airborne after an infected person leaves the area for up to two hours.

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Symptoms of the measles include:

fever of 101 degrees or higher
cough
runny nose
red and watery eyes
conjunctivitis - white specs in the back of the mouth
rash near the hairline and progresses down the body

Symptoms of the virus usually begin to appear about a week after exposure, with a telltale sign of red spots on the face and trunk of the body. The infected are contagious for up to four days before the rash appears to four days afterward. (DSHS)

How to prevent contracting the airborne virus

It is suggested that children receive a round of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine when they are between 6 and 11 months, then again between 12 and 15 months, and then when the child is between 4 and 6 years old.

Children who do not receive the vaccine as infants can still receive a series of vaccine shots. Same with teens and adults.