A growing number of Central Texas health departments are warning residents of possible exposure to measles, the latest sign that the outbreak in West Texas is spreading across the state. Why it matters: Measles is a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening disease that has surged in areas with high vaccination exemption rates.

The Hays County Health Department has issued an alert of a potential measles exposure in San Marcos. The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has issued an alert of a potential measles exposure there.

Officials in Central Texas are warning the public about a possible spread of measles as they say a person who visited the area had tested positive for the disease. The Hays County Health Department claimed Sunday that the patient is an individual who was in San Marcos—about 30 miles southwest of Austin—and spent time at a local college and restaurant between 3 p.