The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an outbreak of measles in the South Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas.
As of April 4, 481 cases have been identified since late January. Fifty-six of the patients have been hospitalized.
There has been one fatality in a school-aged child who lived in the outbreak area. The child was not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions.
Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak.
Cases by counties are as follows: Hockley County has three confirmed case; Cochran County has nine confirmed cases; Lamb County has one confirmed case; Lubbock County has 33 confirmed cases; Yoakum County has 17 confirmed cases; Terry County has 43 confirmed cases; Garza County has two confirmed case; Hale County has three confirmed case; Dallam County has seven confirmed cases; Lamar County has 11 confirmed cases; Dawson County has 20 confirmed cases; Ector County has eight confirmed cases; Gaines County has 315 confirmed cases; Lynn County has two confirmed cases; Martin County has three confirmed cases; Andrews County has one confirmed case; Brown County has one confirmed case; Erath County has one confirmed case; and Midland County has one confirmed case. Age ranges for the reported cases are as follows:
One hundred and fifty-seven cases are between zero and fouryears- old; One hundred and eighty cases are between five and 17years-old; One hundred and nineteen cases are 18-years-old or higher; and Twenty-five cases are pending.
Vaccination status of the confirmed cases shows 471 cases unvaccinated or unknown and seven vaccinated with at least two doses.
The unvaccinated or unknown category includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before symptom onset.
After additional investigation into the details of individual measles cases, DSHS has determined that three cases previously classified as vaccinated were not vaccinated cases. Two of those cases got their vaccine doses one to two days before their symptoms started, after they had been exposed to the virus. It takes the body about 14 days after vaccination to develop immunity to measles, so people aren’t considered vaccinated until that 14-day period has passed.
DSHS has determined that the third case was a Lubbock County resident who had a vaccine reaction rather than a measles infection based on the results of MeVA testing, which detected the vaccine strain. This case has been removed from the case count entirely. The measles vaccine can occasionally cause a reaction with a rash and fever that mimic measles, but it is not a measles infection and cannot spread to other people.
Information is updated on Tuesday’s and Friday’s on the DSHS website.
SPARTAN Public Transportation has partnered with the Texas Department of State Health Services to host a free measles vaccination clinic and testing site at the SPARTAN facility in Levelland.
This collaborative initiative will offer measles vaccines to residents across the South Plains area regardless of income or insurance coverage.
The vaccine clinic began March 31, every Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the SPARTAN Transportation facility, located at 1105 TX-114 in Levelland.
The clinic is open to all members of the community until April 14th. No appointments are necessary; walk-ins are welcome, and all vaccines will be administered by certified healthcare professionals from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The SPARTAN facility is not unfamiliar with hosting an event of this magnitude. In 2021, the facility opened its doors to the public to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in conjunction with its ribbon cutting. Similarly, last year after the May 28 and 29 storms that caused widespread damage in Hockley County, the SPARTAN crew opened their doors once again as a response center for residents who lost power.
“We are excited to partner with DSHS to provide this important health service at this crucial time,” said Brian Baker, Director of SPARTAN Public Transportation. “Whether we are providing rides or sharing our space, we operate every day under the certainty that our modern, multi-purpose assets make us ready to adapt and respond to the unknown.” added Baker.
Details of the clinic include: No appointment necessary, walk-ins are welcome.
No cost associated as the clinic services are free.
Parking will be on the East side of the facility, pull up to an orange cone and wait in your vehicle for a worker to come assist you.
Residents are encouraged to bring any necessary documentation, such as previous vaccination records, but it is not required.
For more information about the clinic or public transportation services call, (806) 894-3800.