Tarrant health officials issue warning about possible measles exposure in Arlington 

Tarrant County Public Health announced April 30 a potential measles exposure in Arlington. 

The public health agency was notified by Denton County Public Health that an individual has tested positive for measles and was infectious while visiting two Arlington venues on April 19:

Texas Live!, 1650 E. Randol Mill Road, on the afternoon of April 19. 

Globe Life Field, 734 Stadium Drive, for a Texas Rangers game against the Los Angeles Dodgers from 3 p.m. through the evening of April 19.

The patient is not a Tarrant County resident, the public health agency said.

Individuals present at either of the locations April 19 who are not vaccinated against measles or are unsure of their immunity may be at risk of contracting measles, Tarrant County Public Health said. 

The health agency says those who were at the venues on April 19 and are at increased risk of contracting measles should monitor for symptoms for 21 days from the date of exposure through May 10.

Symptoms for measles include fever above 101 degrees and cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis or red eyes. These symptoms are followed by a red, blotchy rash that begins at the hairline/scalp and behind the ears and progresses down the body. 

Measles can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area, the agency said. 

Tarrant County Public Health said anyone who develops symptoms should stay home and isolate themselves from others, contact a health care provider for guidance, and call before visiting a clinic or hospital to prevent possible exposure to others.

Tarrant County Public Health said it is working closely with Denton County Public Health, the city of Arlington, Texas Live!, Texas Rangers and other partners to monitor the situation.

Over 660 cases of measles have been reported in Texas. The outbreak started in January among a group of unvaccinated children in Gaines County, near Lubbock. A case was reported in Rockwall County, northeast of Dallas, in late February.

Tarrant County has not reported any measles cases as of April 29. If a case is detected in Tarrant, the county health department will deploy a “mobile strike team” to offer testing and vaccines, Dr. Brian Byrd, the county’s public health director, said in March. The county will open a central site to test up to 1,000 people a day if cases pop up in multiple areas. 

Kathryn Miller is a reporting fellow at the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at [email protected]. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

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