Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the negative test results.
Test results for two people in Houston suspected of having highly contagious measles show they are not infected with the virus, a Houston Health Department spokesperson said Saturday.
On Friday, the department confirmed that it was investigating two possible cases of measles in the city, a potentially concerning development as the city hosts thousands of visitors for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
But test results have come back on the two people and they are negative for the measles virus, health department spokesperson Tucker Wilson said in a brief email to Houston Landing. No further information was provided.
The city’s health department, in a recent health alert, has been reminding local health care providers that even suspected measles cases are required to be reported. “In Texas, suspicion of measles is required to be reported immediately. Do not wait for laboratory confirmation to report measles,” the alert to providers says.
The potential for two Houston measles cases came amid concern about a growing measles outbreak in West Texas.
“The Rodeo is aware of the measles outbreak in west Texas and is closely monitoring the situation with the Houston Health Department,” the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo said in an emailed statement Friday evening.
“For those that are unvaccinated or immunocompromised, measles, flu and even the common cold are illnesses that need to be considered,” the Rodeo organizers’ statement said. “Those that have health concerns may want to consider whether attending any large event is right for you. We look forward to a safe 2025 Rodeo.”
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What to know about the Texas measles outbreak as Houston officials warn its potential spread
by Alison Young / Staff Writer
It’s unclear whether the two people in the city of Houston who were suspected of having measles – a highly contagious and dangerous disease – were children or adults, or if they had any connection the outbreak in West Texas. A spokesman for the city’s health department on Friday would only confirm that two possible measles cases were under investigation and that no other information was being released at that time.
The West Texas outbreak – which is being fueled by unvaccinated children and adults – has so far resulted in at least 146 cases of measles in nine counties, according to new data released Friday morning by the Texas Department of State Health Services. One school-age child, who was not vaccinated, has died and at least 18 people have been hospitalized in the outbreak.
Measles is a preventable disease through vaccination. Two doses of measles vaccine is 97 percent effective, and one dose is 93 percent effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But a small and growing number of people in Texas and across the country are not vaccinated against the disease for a variety of reasons including skepticism about vaccine safety.
The result are sporadic measles cases that have popped up across the country, often involving unvaccinated people who have traveled internationally. Such cases have an increased risk of sparking an outbreak if the people live or interact with clusters of other people who also are unvaccinated.
The West Texas outbreak began in late January in Gaines County, near the New Mexico border and about 80 miles southwest of Lubbock. The county remains the outbreak’s epicenter, with 98 of the 146 confirmed cases.
“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities,” the state health department said in its Friday update.
Meanwhile, other cases were being reported across Texas this week that appear to be unrelated to the West Texas outbreak.
On Friday health officials in Austin announced an infant had tested positive for measles, an exposure that occurred during a family vacation in another country. While the rest of the family was vaccinated, the baby wasn’t. Children typically aren’t vaccinated against measles until they are about a year old. The baby’s illness is the first measles case in Austin since 2019.
“As measles has arrived in our community, I’m calling on everyone to make sure they’re protected against this vaccine-preventable disease,” said Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority.
On Wednesday, officials in Rockwall County announced that an adult resident of that area had been diagnosed with measles. That case also was not believed to be connected with the West Texas outbreak, county officials said.
In January, there were two additional measles cases in the city of Houston, also unrelated to the West Texas outbreak. Those two cases, which were linked to international travel, involved two adults who lived in the same household and were not vaccinated against measles.
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