Arizona is facing its first major measles outbreak since early last year. This most recent outbreak originated at a federal detention facility in Eloy.
Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said she expects that number to keep growing.
“We know that’s we’ve got exposure that happened before public health had been notified. So what our goal is to do then is to get into contact with those cases. Identify where they’ve been,” Christ said.
One positive is those affected are adults who are more likely to be vaccinated, she said. Also, some cases are still contained at the Eloy detention center.
Going forward, Christ said, it’s now about mapping the public places the affected went.
“What we’re noticing is that those that did have exposure with the community did have extensive community exposure. So, it’s really going to be about this next generation of cases going to look like?” said Christ.
She said the next generation will likely affect children and the elderly.
As the virus expands into the community, those at the greatest risk of being infected are children, elderly and those with suppressed immune systems.
