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Someone who visited Fredericksburg during the last weekend in April was infected with measles. The infected person was in Fredericksburg from El Paso, which has had 44 measles cases linked to the West Texas outbreak.
Gillespie County Public Health said the person visited at least four locations in the tourist town on April 26, including Burger Burger, Loca on Main, Felt Boutique, and Allen's Boots.
Anyone in Fredericksburg on that Saturday and who develops symptoms of measles before May 17 should stay home and call a doctor. Measles is extremely contagious, so they should not visit a medical office or an urgent care facility.
The news came just as the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed 19 more cases of measles since the last update on Friday. The state's updates come every Tuesday and Friday.
That brings the total number of cases in the outbreak, mostly in West Texas, since late January to 702. The DSHS added that 91 people have been hospitalized with measles since the outbreak began.
The information from the state also included that "DSHS has identified designated outbreak counties with ongoing measles transmission: Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, Lynn, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry and Yoakum."
In mid-April, a case of measles was reported in Atascosa County, just south of San Antonio. State officials believe the case was unrelated to the West Texas outbreak.
Two school-age children have died from complications from the virus since the outbreak began. Both lived in West Texas and were unvaccinated.
This outbreak, which has spread to three states and is currently active in 10 Texas counties, is the largest since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2001.
Health care professionals said the only way to prevent measles is to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine. Measles complications can include pneumonia, hearing loss, meningitis, and death.
