Contagious measles patient visited Grapevine in late March, Tarrant health officials say
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Measles in Texas
Tarrant County has confirmed its first measles cases. Follow our reporting on the Texas outbreak.
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The Tarrant County Public Health Department has issued a measles exposure notice after officials say someone who tested positive for the virus visited Grapevine last month.
The infected person was contagious when they visited the Great Wolf Lodge hotel and waterpark between March 28 and 30, officials said. The person also visited Grapevine Mills Mall on March 29, walked around the mall and ate at the food court.
Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed that a second child with measles in Texas has died. The New York Times reported Sunday that an 8-year-old girl died Thursday of “measles pulmonary failure” at a hospital in Lubbock. It is the second confirmed measles death in a decade in the United States.
Anyone who was at either of the Grapevine locations during that time period and is unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination status is at risk of contracting measles, officials said. Those who are pregnant or immunocompromised and unvaccinated should contact their healthcare provider immediately, officials said.
The Texas measles outbreak that started in January has grown to 481 confirmed cases as of April 4, with most cases in the South Plains and Panhandle regions. At least 56 people have been hospitalized
No known cases have been confirmed in Tarrant County; last week, one case was confirmed in Erath County, about 60 miles southeast of Fort Worth.
Individuals who were at the Grapevine locations should monitor for the following symptoms through April 20. Symptoms can take up to two weeks to show after exposure:
- Fever above 101 degrees
- Cough, runny nose or red eyes
- A red, blotchy rash that begins at the scalp, hairline or behind the ears and spreads down the body
Great Wolf Lodge offered this statement to KXAS-TV.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and pack members is always our top priority, and we are supporting Tarrant County Health Department as they investigate a guest who arrived at our resort potentially contagious with measles last month. The Health Department confirmed that, considering how the virus is transmitted and the timing for when the guest was at our resort, there is no ongoing concern for current or future guests to our resort.”
For more information about the measles virus, the vaccine and the spread of the illness, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services’ webpage at dshs.texas.gov/measles.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 9:57 PM.
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