Houston health officials have recorded a case of measles in an infant who recently returned from abroad — as Texas battles another, separate outbreak.
The infant was unvaccinated, officials said, and was hospitalized for the disease before being discharged to recover at home.
The case is not connected to the major outbreak in West Texas, where 294 people have been sickened across three states — marking more cases than recorded across the entire US in 2024.
Last month, an unvaccinated school-girl also died from measles in the outbreak, the first US death from the disease in a decade.
The new infection is also not connected to the two cases in unvaccinated adults recorded in Houston in January, who were the city’s first since 2018.
Officials say they are now tracing anyone who was in close contact with the patient and asking them to isolate. It was not immediately clear whether they traveled through the main airport.
The patient was not reported to be a US resident, and no further information was given — including on when they arrived or where they traveled from.
A spokesman from the Houston Department of Health told DailyMail.com that no further details on the case were being released in order to protect the patient’s privacy. They would not confirm whether the patient went through Houston Airport.
The infant was hospitalized but has since been discharged. The above picture is a stock image of a child suffering from measles
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man, able to infect nine out of ten unvaccinated people that are exposed to the virus.
Dr David Persse, chief medical officer for Houston, urged people to get vaccinated against measles to slash their risk of infection.
‘The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from measles is through vaccination,’ he said.
‘The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is safe, highly effective, and remains the best defense against this potentially severe disease.’
He added: ‘Although measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, international travel continues to present a risk.
‘Staying up to date on vaccinations helps protect both individuals and the broader community.’
About 92 percent of kindergarteners across Texas were vaccinated against measles in 2023 to 2024, the latest data available.
This is below the 95 percent level experts say is needed to prevent an outbreak, and below the levels recorded in previous years.
In the Houston area, three of its private schools are among those with the lowest vaccination rates in the state.
Acton Leadership Academy of Magnolia, north of the city, had a measles vaccination rate of 36 percent in 2023 to 2024, according to state data.
Acton Academy Cy-Fair, in northwest Houston, had a measles vaccination rate of 50 percent for kindergarteners.
The above is a stock image of the skyline in Houston, Texas
And Acton Leadership Academy of Creekside, in Spring, also had a measles vaccination rate of 50 percent for the group.
The two cases recorded in the city in January were in two unvaccinated adults living in the same household who had recently returned to the city from abroad.
Their cases also were not linked to the major outbreak in West Texas.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man, and can infect nine in every ten people exposed to it who are unvaccinated.
It spreads via respiratory droplets expelled in coughs and sneezes that hang in the air and remain infectious for up to two hours after a patient has passed through.
Symptoms erupt seven to 14 days after infection, and begin as a high fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes.
Patients also suffer from a red, blotchy rash that starts on the face and then extends behind the ears and down the trunk to the rest of the body.
Serious complications can occur in young children or those with a weakened immune system, who may suffer from pneumonia, brain swelling and even death.
Measles has a fatality rate of one to two children in every thousand who are infected.
The best way to prevent the infection is to be vaccinated, with the first dose given around six months and the second at the ages four to six years.
Treatment for the disease includes providing medications to help relieve symptoms and bed rest.
