Tarrant County, Texas — Concerns about a potential measles outbreak are growing, according to Dr. Brian Byrd, the Director of Tarrant County Public Health. While no measles cases have been confirmed in Tarrant County at this time, Dr. Byrd and his team are taking proactive measures in anticipation of a possible outbreak linked to a recent surge in another region of the state.
During a presentation at the Commissioner’s Court, Dr. Byrd and his team shared the latest statistics on measles in Texas. Health officials attribute the outbreak to a significant number of children under 5 years old who have not received their vaccinations.
Since late January, the South Plains region has reported 223 measles cases, with 29 patients hospitalized, including one fatality of an unvaccinated school-aged child with no known underlying conditions. Given the highly contagious nature of measles, doctors expect the outbreak to continue spreading in the affected area and nearby communities.
In preparation for a potential local outbreak, Tarrant County health officials are conducting outreach efforts, including one-on-one visits to hospitals, school districts, and daycare centers, to educate them about prevention and their response plan.
“We have the capability to send out a mobile response unit to any location where an outbreak occurs,” Dr. Byrd said. “We also monitor data such as school vaccination rates to assess the likelihood of an outbreak in Tarrant County.”
Dr. Byrd expressed particular concern for the county’s young population who have not yet been vaccinated, emphasizing the importance of immunity in preventing widespread outbreaks.
“If an outbreak does occur here in Tarrant County, it won’t be as severe as what we saw with COVID, because many of us have immunity to measles from having had it as children,” he explained.
The Texas Department of State Health Services is working closely with local health departments to investigate the South Plains outbreak.
In response to growing concerns, Garland ISD will offer a free MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine clinic to qualifying students on Thursday.
As measles cases continue to rise across Texas, authorities are monitoring schools in North Texas to assess their risk for potential outbreaks.
