Five children from the same Rockwall County family have contracted measles following international travel, health officials confirmed this week. The outbreak marks the county’s first measles cases in several years.
The initial case was reported on February 5, 2026, with four additional cases emerging within the same household over the following week. None of the affected children had received measles vaccinations, according to county health authorities.
“So that’s good news for the community. There’s no exposure within the schools,” Rockwall County Health Authority Dr. Perritt told FOX 4’s Amelia Jones. “The only exposure that we’re aware of, there are two medical facilities that their mother took the child to. We’ve made them aware and, as far as we know, there’s been no connection to any further cases.”
The family has been placed under a 21-day self-quarantine and is being monitored by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Health officials have determined that the initial patient is no longer contagious as of February 5.
What’s particularly concerning to health officials? The resurgence of a disease once considered effectively eliminated in the United States.
“5-10 years ago, you didn’t vaccinate your children; the risk of getting measles was close to 0,” Dr. Perritt explained. “That number is not close to zero anymore. So I think families that have forgone vaccinations might want to reconsider that risk.”
Local authorities are working to contain any potential spread. “The Rockwall County Local Health Authority is working closely with the Rockwall County Office of Emergency Management to ensure accurate and timely information is shared with city and school district officials,” a county news release stated.
Measles is highly contagious and can spread through airborne transmission when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine for children, with the first dose at 12-15 months of age and the second at 4-6 years of age. Adults who haven’t been vaccinated are encouraged to receive at least one dose.
As vaccination rates have declined in some communities over the past decade, public health experts have warned about the potential for outbreaks of diseases once thought to be under control — a warning that now seems prescient in Rockwall County.
