'Just an airplane ride away': APH gives update on measles cases in Central Texas
AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a public health committee meeting Wednesday, public health leaders gave an update on the spread of measles in our community.
According to Janet Pichette, the chief epidemiologist at Austin Public Health (APH), there were more than 900 measles cases reported in the US as of Friday. Of those people, most are younger than 20 and unvaccinated.
Texas represents roughly 75% of those nationwide cases, with 702 cases reported as of Tuesday, Pichette said. Two children have died in Texas.
There have been three confirmed cases of measles or measles exposure reported in Austin-Travis County.
- APH said the first case reported was in February in an unvaccinated infant
- A second case was reported in April in a vaccinated adult who officials believe was exposed to the virus while traveling in the US
- And a person traveling from El Paso late last month may have exposed Austinites to the measles, APH recently said
Pichette said the person traveling from El Paso may have been to additional locations in Central Texas and that they’re still working to trace possible exposure.
Pichette also said APH is currently investigating a “large number” of possible cases. She described the effort required to get samples, investigate exposure and get results from the lab. Of those cases, many will not be measles, she said.
“As we found out with COVID, disease is just an airplane ride away. And people need to make sure…if you are unsure about your immunization status, or if you are unvaccinated, especially in summer travel months that they are making sure that they’re protected,” Pichette said.
