Collin County middle school student tests positive for measles, officials say

A student at Willow Springs Middle School in Lucas has tested positive for measles, according to an exposure notice issued by Collin County Health Care Services.

CCHCS said anyone at the school on April 7 could have been exposed.

It's unclear where the student may have contracted the virus. Officials said the patient's identity will not be released due to confidentiality laws.

Willow Springs Middle School in Lucas is part of Lovejoy ISD, which reported 6.26% of students with a conscientious exemption, according to the 2023-2024 Texas Annual Report of Immunization Status for K-12.

Lovejoy ISD has not publicly commented on the confirmed case.

Collin County representatives said they are working to notify potentially exposed individuals and implement precautions.

The notice advised anyone who develops measles symptoms to contact their healthcare provider immediately and to stay home unless instructed by their physician.

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.

Cook Children's Measles FAQ