Two infectious diseases have found their way into Arizona, and the state's health department is urging residents to make sure they are vaccinated.
The Arizona Department of Health Services and the Pima County Health Department confirmed a case of measles in a 12-month-old baby, while the Cochise County Health Department is confirming a case of mumps in an elementary school-aged child.
Dr. Cara Christ is the director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. She said it’s urgent to make sure to have the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
“They are still circulating in other parts of the world and they are just a plane ride away," Christ said, "so that is why it’s so important to make sure you are fully vaccinated against these diseases.”
Christ said the infant with measles may have been exposed to the disease while in Asia. She said measles spreads in the air through an infected person’s cough or sneeze.
“What we want to make sure is that not only you, but that the community is vaccinated because that’s the way to stop transmission of these very dangerous diseases," said Christ.
Christ said the state is investigating the mumps case in Cochise County.
