A third measles case has been recorded in Rockwall County, and all three stem from the same family, officials say.
The first case was identified Feb. 5, according to a news release from the Rockwall County Health Authority. The agency announced two additional cases Thursday, adding they are “family members within the same household as the original case.”
Any other exposed relatives have not developed symptoms and are self-quarantining, the news release said. They are also being monitored by the Texas Department of State Health Services for a 21-day observation period.
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Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in the world. Last year, an outbreak that started in Gaines County led to more than 760 cases and claimed the lives of two children.
After spreading to Oklahoma and New Mexico, it pushed the country’s 2025 measles case count to the highest single-year number in three decades.
The virus spreads primarily among unvaccinated people, and can live in the air and on surfaces for hours after an infected person has left.
The two-dose MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the illness. Health experts recommend the first dose usually is administered to babies between 12 and 15 months old, with the second dose administered when the child is 4 to 6 years old.
People who are pregnant or immunocompromised are not advised to take the vaccine.