A person infected with measles may have exposed others to the disease after traveling to multiple locations in Austin, Texas, while infectious with the highly contagious virus.
The Austin Public Health Department said that the infected Travis County resident, who was not identified, visited several locations — including a Chipotle Mexican Grill and a Target store — between Dec. 14 and Dec. 17.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Health Departments in Central Texas are informing people who were at various locations listed below during the specified time frames that they may have been exposed to an individual with measles,” officials with the Austin Public Health Department said in a news release.
The following times and locations include:
- December 14 (evening): Chipotle Mexican Grill, 6301 W Parmer Lane
- December 14 - 16: HEB, 6001 W Parmer Lane
- December 15: Saam Thai, 6301 W Parmer Lane
- December 15 - 16: Mandola’s Italian, 4700 W Guadalupe Street
- December 16 (2 pm – 4 pm): Target, 10107 Research Boulevard; Marco’s Pizza, 11011 Research Boulevard
- December 17 (Noon – 4 pm): Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, 3600 Presidential Boulevard; United Airlines, gate area
The case in Travis County is the first since 1999, the Austin American-Statesman reported, noting the infected person likely contracted the virus while visiting Europe in late November or early December.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes. Others can contract measles when they breathe the contaminated air or touch a contaminated surface, and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.
“Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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The MMR vaccine can protect both individuals and other people from contracting the virus. Young children are typically most at risk of contracting measles. The CDC recommends children get two doses of the MMR vaccination, but the first dose is typically given to children when they are between 12 and 15 months old, with the second occurring between ages 4 and 6.
The news comes after a study released in August found that measles outbreaks could be more commonplace in Texas communities as an increasing number of children in the state show up to school unvaccinated.
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