Health officials in Tarrant County say a person has tested positive for measles — the first case seen in the county in four years.

A Tarrant County Public Health news release said Thursday the patient had recently traveled out of the country to an area experiencing a spike in measles cases.

"We are always concerned about the health of any resident who travels and returns to Tarrant County and shortly afterward develops signs or symptoms of a disease," said Vinny Taneja, TCPH director. "We are grateful for the cooperation we're receiving from everyone involved in this case and feel confident the public is safe."

TCPH said this measles case is not related to other cases reported recently around North Texas.

Measles symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes, diarrhea, ear infection and a rash of tiny, red spots that start at the head and spread to the rest of the body. If left untreated, in children measles can lead to pneumonia, lifelong brain damage, deafness and death.

Measles is highly contagious and can be spread through the air. Unvaccinated people and children who are too young to be vaccinated are most at risk.

The first confirmed case of measles in North Texas in 2019 came in Denton County in early February. Health officials in Collin County issued a warning earlier this week after learning a person infected with measles visited a Kroger grocery store in Prosper and may have infected other shoppers.

People with measles are contagious from four days before symptoms appear to four after symptoms appear.

The virus has an incubation period of 10 to 12 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.