Health officials in Hays County have issued a public health alert following potential measles exposure in the area. A person who later tested positive for the virus visited San Marcos on February 14, raising concerns about community spread, as first reported by KUT News.
According to the Hays County Health Department, the individual—who resides in Gaines County—was in San Marcos between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. that day. Officials warn that anyone who was at Texas State University between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. or at Twin Peaks Restaurant between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. may have been exposed. The risk extends up to two hours after those time frames, as the virus can linger in the air.
The Hays County Health Department, in collaboration with the Texas Department of State Health Services and other agencies, is actively investigating potential contacts. Health officials urge anyone who may have been exposed to notify their local health authority.
Additional Exposure Sites in San Antonio
The same individual traveled to multiple locations in San Antonio the following day, February 15, potentially exposing others to measles. The affected sites and time frames include:
- University of Texas at San Antonio (Main Campus): 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- River Walk attractions (Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Ripley’s Illusion Lab): 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Mr. Crabby’s Seafood and Bar in Live Oak: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Gaines County, where the infected individual resides, is the epicenter of the current measles outbreak, with at least 45 confirmed cases. The county had the highest rate of unvaccinated individuals in Texas this school year, with 18% of students lacking immunization, according to state health data.
Statewide, the outbreak has reached 90 confirmed measles cases—the worst in 30 years. Although measles was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000 thanks to widespread vaccination efforts, recent declines in immunization rates have left some communities vulnerable.
The outbreak comes at a pivotal time as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, takes over as head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy has frequently spread misinformation about childhood vaccines, particularly the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, falsely claiming a connection to autism.
During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine. “I am pro-safety,” he stated. “All of my children are vaccinated, and I acknowledge the crucial role vaccines play in healthcare.”
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has offered assistance, but Texas has yet to request federal intervention.
The CDC has shipped 2,000 MMR vaccine doses to Texas health officials. However, most of these are being administered to children who have already received one dose, rather than reaching those who remain completely unvaccinated.
Health Officials Stress Vaccination
“Texas is currently experiencing the largest outbreak of measles in decades,” said Dr. John Turner, local health authority for Hays County said in a statement. “Individuals who have not been vaccinated are at greater risk of infection. To minimize the risk of infection and serious illness, individuals should make sure they are vaccinated.”
Measles is highly contagious, with about 90% of unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus becoming infected. Those experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice immediately and quarantine for four days after the onset of a rash.
