Local Health Officials Closely Monitor Possible Measles Outbreaks

As measles continues to spread across Texas, local health authorities remain alert.

There are now eight confirmed cases of measles in Texas, according to the State Department of Texas Health Department.

The disease has not reached Travis County, but health officials are gearing up for this eventuality.

"Measles is an infectious disease characterized by fever, cough, watery eyes and a runny nose, followed a few days later by a generalized rash," said Dr. Mary Ann Rodriguez, Acting Health Authority and Director. Austin Public Health Medical. "This can lead to serious complications, such as brain inflammation or what we call encephalitis, which can lead people to neurological deficits."

She says they're ready to open four emerging clinics for vaccination if a measles outbreak were to affect Travis County. She also says that they work closely with local hospitals to monitor symptom trends.

"If there are more and more people coming to the emergency department because of fever, rash or nausea and vomiting, we are alerted if there is a trend," she said. she declared.

She says that a population would need a measles immunization rate of 95% to protect people who can not get vaccinated, such as infants and people with autoimmune disorders.

"The measles has an attack rate of 90%, which means that if a person is in a room with measles and that it remains on 10 people, 9 out of 10 people will be affected", she said.

This could be troubling, given that Austin has recently been ranked among the 15 most popular places for people who consciously choose not to vaccinate.

"This is worrisome because some schools in Travis County may have a vaccination exception rate of up to 49 percent," she said.

Abigail Bruckshen's son was only six years old and not taking any vaccines was not a risk that she was willing to take.

"Just because I have such a small guy that we vaccinate to try to prevent these diseases from catching him," Bruckshen said. "I think it affects everyone around them and makes it spread as we have seen it."