Measles cases rise in Texas, prompting DFW childcare centers to boost parent education on the virus and vigilance.
Measles cases rise in Texas, prompting DFW childcare centers to boost parent education on the virus and vigilance.
Measles cases rise in Texas, prompting DFW childcare centers to boost parent education on the virus and vigilance.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The number of measles cases continues to climb in Texas.
The epicenter is still in Gaines County in the Texas panhandle, but child care centers in Dallas-Fort Worth are increasing parent education and vigilance to curb any spread if the viral infection were to surface here.
“We have a promise to keep our families informed of what’s going on here in Tarrant County,” said Kristy Webb, executive director of child services for Child Care Associates. The company operates 15 child care centers in North Texas, like Child Care Studio at Riverside just across the west fork of the Trinity River from Downtown Fort Worth.
“We take this very seriously,” she said. “Measles is a very serious condition if it’s contracted, no matter what your age is.”
Webb says child care staff and the parents of their more than 800 students are receiving additional materials in cooperation with Tarrant County Health about measles warning signs and vaccination requirements.
“Not only are we vigilant,” Webb said, “but also it’s just part of our practice of who we are and what we do every day. Our teachers know our children and are going to know when they’re not feeling well and be able to have that conversation with mom and dad.”
Measles isn’t just in West Texas anymore. The Centers for Disease Control reported Friday that there are now 721 confirmed measles cases in 25 states. The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed 541 cases as of April 11, an increase of 36 since April 8. The majority of cases are still in the Texas panhandle, 65% of the total in Gaines County. but closer to DFW, there is one confirmed case in Erath County and 11 confirmed cases in Lamar County.
“Hopefully, we won’t see any more spread,” said Katherine Wells, the director of public health in Lubbock County. “But it’s also just kind of waiting because of the long incubation period with measles.”
Individuals are infectious four days prior to and four days after the first signs of a rash. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 56 of the patients have been hospitalized over the course of the outbreak, and there have been two fatalities in school-aged children who lived in the outbreak area. The children were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions.
The push now in West Texas is to get as many people vaccinated as possible. The focus in Tarrant County is for educators and parents to be on the alert.
Measles has not emerged here or anywhere else in DFW. Their goal is to keep it that way.