BEAUMONT, Texas — Officials in Orange County and a Bridge City family are awaiting test results on an infant girl suspected of possibly having the measles.
A Bridge City mom, Chauntal Romero, made a Facebook post Friday saying her 9-month-old daughter, Emma, had blood drawn to be tested for measles on Thursday at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Romero said in the post she is normally a private person but wanted to get the facts out and clear up rumors that had been going around on social media.
Posts began appearing on social media Thursday evening with users reporting a measles scare at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
In a statement dated, February 8, 2019, and posted to Facebook Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital said the hospital "is not treating any persons with measles or suspected measles."
“First and foremost I’d like to thank everyone for praying for my family..even though you didn’t realize who you were praying for. Prayers are always appreciated more than you will know,” Romero said in the Facebook post.
Romero emphasized that nothing had been confirmed yet and the family is quarantined in their Orange County home while they await the test results.
“If anyone is saying that this case is confirmed, has been misinformed," she said.
She noted that the nurses were fully gowned as a precaution when drawing blood from baby Emma and she and her twin sister, who are both almost 10-months-old, are up to date on all their vaccinations.
Neither girl has received the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine yet because they are not old enough.
Children should receive the MMR vaccine when they are between 12 and 15-months-old, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Romero says she and her family are currently quarantined in their home while the wait for the test results.
“My husband and I have done everything right to protect our daughters from these illnesses, but not everyone is on the same page with vaccinating their children,” Romero said in the Facebook post.
Tests are being run and a confirmation of measles would come from the state according to Orange County Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin.
Ardoin did not say where in the county the case originated or which hospital the person went to.
Currently there is no confirmation of a measles case in Orange County, Ardoin told 12News.
Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital spokesperson Steven Alford said he could not confirm whether or not the hospital had treated anyone with symptoms similar to measles in the last week due to federal privacy laws.
A positive diagnosis would be reported to the city health department, Alford said. The hospital is not currently treating anyone with measles or suspected measles, Alford said.
The City of Beaumont Public Health Department as well as the Port Arthur City Health Department both told 12News there have been no confirmed measles cases in either city.
This is a developing story. 12News will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.