Health experts warn crowded spaces helps measles spread fast<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4, 2026 (HealthDay News) \u2014 Two people held at a large immigrant family detention center in Dilley, Texas, have tested positive for measles<\/a>, officials said.<\/p>\n The South Texas Family Residential Center, located about 70 miles south of San Antonio, houses roughly 1,100 adults and children. After the cases were confirmed Jan. 31, federal officials said they isolated anyone who may have been exposed and limited movement inside the building.<\/p>\n \u201cMedical staff is continuing to monitor the detainees\u2019 conditions and will take appropriate and active steps to prevent further infection,\u201d said Tricia McLaughlin<\/a>, assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She added that \u201call detainees are being provided with proper medical care.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials did not say how the two people became infected, how many detainees are vaccinated or whether more cases are being investigated.<\/p>\n Advocates say they are worried the virus could spread quickly inside the crowded facility.<\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro<\/a>, a Texas Democrat, said he is seeking answers after visiting the center and learning about the measles cases.<\/p>\n Similar infections have also been reported at immigration facilities in Arizona<\/a>.<\/p>\n An immigration attorney who represents a family at Dilley said detainees were placed on lockdown without being told why. He also said families told him they were not asked about their vaccination history and were not offered vaccines.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not being told anything, and they are not being offered any sort of protective measures,\u201d attorney Eric Lee<\/a> told The Washington Post<\/em>. \u201cAnd it\u2019s important to point out that this is not just a detention conditions issue \u2014 it\u2019s a public health issue generally.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo<\/a>, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t think of a better incubation environment for transmission of measles than a detention facility,\u201d she said, explaining that measles is extremely contagious.<\/p>\n About 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to the virus become infected, and people can spread measles for days before they realize they are sick.<\/p>\n Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, thanks to strong vaccination rates. But falling rates have led to a rebound, threatening that status.<\/p>\n So far in 2026, more than 580 measles cases, including 17 hospitalizations, have been reported nationwide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC). Last year saw more than 2,260 cases across 44 states, along with more than 200 hospital stays and three deaths.<\/p>\n Measles can cause high fever, cough and rash. In serious cases, it can lead to pneumonia<\/a>, long-term immune damage or death, especially in young kids.<\/p>\n Federal officials say vaccines are still being provided inside detention centers. Immigration authorities recently signed a contract worth up to $616,000 to continue vaccine services through mid-June.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we transitioned contracts, there was no gaps in medical care \u2014 including access to necessary vaccines, which are being provided,\u201d McLaughlin said.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n University of California – Davis Health has ways to prevent measles from spreading<\/a>.<\/p>\n