Editor's Note: The Denton County Public Health Department said Thursday that the wrong church was named in the initial statement and that the church visited by the patient was Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church at 6101 Morriss Road in Flower Mound.
Health officials in Denton County confirmed a case of measles on Wednesday and say the infected person could have exposed others at a number of places from April 19-22.
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WATCH HEREAccording to the Denton County Public Health Department, the positive case is an adult. Public Health Director Matt Richardson said the person recently traveled to states experiencing measles outbreaks.
To protect the patient's confidentiality, further identifying information is not shared.
The health department shared a list of places the person visited while infected and said more locations may be added as the investigation continues.
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SIGN UP The county health department recommends that if you were at one of the locations listed below during the specified period and are unvaccinated, pregnant, or immunocompromised, you should contact your doctor to discuss possible exposure. You should also monitor for symptoms for 21 days. The last day of monitoring for the most recent exposure would be May 13.
April 19
- Pretty Burrito, 500 Flower Mound Road, Flower Mound, between 10 a.m. and noon.
- Donut Plaza, 1900 S. Garden Ridge Boulevard, Flower Mound, between 10 a.m. and noon.
- Rangers Republic at Texas Live!, 1605 E. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Globe Life Field, 734 Stadium Drive, Arlington, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Guitars and Growlers (Restaurant), 400 Flower Mound Road, Flower Mound, between 6 p.m. and midnight.
- WalMart, 801 W Main Street in Lewisville, between 10 p.m. April 19 and 1 a.m. April 20.
April 20
- Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, 6101 Morriss Road, Flower Mound, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- WinCo Foods, 1288 W Main Street, Lewisville, between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
- Pho Tay Do (Restaurant), 1403 E Campbell Road, Richardson, between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Health Connection
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Richardson said the vaccine status of the person with measles is unknown.
Measles is highly contagious and up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected, officials say. The health department said a person can contract measles in a room where someone infected with measles had been up to two hours before.
“Today’s case is further evidence that measles cases are on the rise – and the DFW area is no exception,” said Dr. Matt Richardson, director of public health. “While we haven’t linked this case to an existing outbreak, it highlights two realities: vaccines are important, and if you have signs and symptoms, you should be tested.”
The health department said the case is not linked to the outbreak in West Texas.
"My level of concern is I do not see us being able to get this under control for at least a year and you will find that most public health professionals will say the same," said Erin Carlson PhD a clinical professor at the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at the University of Texas Arlington. Carlson, who is an expert in epidemiology and infectious disease, believes people should be there is already community spread.
"If somebody does not seek medical care, then there is no channel for which that case can be officially reported. so there is a concern that perhaps we have what we call in epidemiology the iceberg effect. That is, what is above the water. The cases we are seeing are only a small fraction of what is really happening in the community with regard to measles spread," said Carlson.
"And with measles being the most contagious disease on the face of the planet, full stop. It is very concerning if even one individual has the disease becasue that spread can occur so rapidly that i makes it almost impossible to contain, " said Carlson.
She said what makes the measles challenging is that someone can be contagious two days before showing symptoms.
"That's one of the factors that makes it a particularly difficult disease to contain, you don't don't get a lot of notice, you're already in community by the time you're actually sick, becasue once you see the symptoms, it's already too late," explained Carlson. She said people born before 1957 were likely not vaccinated for measles becasue it was presumed they had exposure and natural immunity. If in that category, she said people should reach out to their doctors.
For those born between 1963 and 1968, Carlson said they received a less effective dose of the vaccine and should talk with their healthcare provider.
"If you were born between 1968 and 1989, you only received one dose of the vaccine instead of the two recommended doses, so it's still 93% effective, but if you want to raise yourself to 97% level of effectiveness, go ahead, talk with your healthcare provider about getting that second dose or check your titer (level of antibodies)," said Carlson.
Dr. Albert Karam, who is a pediatrician in Dallas and a member of the non-profit , said he personally know what it's like to have the measles.
"I was fortunate I lived through it, here I am a pediatrician in Dallas right now, so yes, I've seen it, I've had it," said Karam about when he became ill with the measles in 1957 as a child.
He said his family lived on a farm in a rural part of southern Louisiana and were not near any hospitals.
"I can remember the lights coming on and I would scream with pain because I had a condition that comes with this called photophobia or sensitivity to light. I remember looking at my skin at the rash and I actually had a form of measles known as hemorrhagic measles where it bled into the rash. So it was black. Hence the phrase often that was used for that was called the 'black measles,' recalled Karam.
The doctor said later in in life he remembers talking to his mom about having the disease.
"I asked my mother, I said, was I very sick? She goes 'Al, you were very sick and we thought you might die," said Karam.
He said he's noticed at his practice an uptick in parents asking to get their kids vaccinated.
"Parents are worried and they should be. Not only is measles a highly contagious disease, it is a serious disease. I know some people downplay it, but there is a significant number of children who will be hospitalized and a small but unfortunate number of children who will die from the disease," explained Karam.
"We need to get it out to the public that this vaccine is extraordinarily safe, please immunize your child," said Karam.
He said for people concerned about side effects of the vaccine to speak with their pediatricians.
"We have to make a choice between getting a vaccine that is incredibly safe and incredibly effective or not getting the vaccine and taking a chance on getting a disease which can kill you," said Karam.
What is measles?
Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to nine out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed.
Most kids will recover from measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and death.
Is the vaccine safe?
Yes, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective in preventing measles infection and severe cases of the disease.
The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old, and the second for children between 4 and 6 years old. The vaccine series is required for kids before kindergarten in public schools nationwide.
Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, there are usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.
There is no link between the vaccine and autism, despite a now-discredited study and health disinformation.
Why do vaccination rates matter?
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.
The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.
Gaines County has one of the highest rates in Texas of school-aged children who opt out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% of K-12 children in the 2023-24 school year. Health officials said that number is likely higher because it doesn’t include many children who are homeschooled and whose data would not be reported.
What are public health officials doing to stop the spread?
Health workers are hosting regular vaccination clinics and screening efforts in Texas, as well as working with schools to educate people about the importance of vaccination and offering shots.
