Possible Arizona measles case was a false alarm

Health officials say a possible measles case under investigation in Pima County was a false alarm.

In a press release Tuesday, the Pima County Health Department said a 1-year-old child treated in a hospital this weekend was briefly suspected of having measles. But officials have now confirmed the child was in fact having a rare reaction to a measles vaccine. The child is recovering and officials say the vaccine will give the child strong protection against the highly contagious virus.

“Reactions to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine are rare and do not carry the same risk as community-acquired measles,” the press release said. “The side effects of an MMR vaccine can sometimes look similar to a measles infection with a fever and rash, however it is not contagious. This type of reaction happens in about 5% of people who get the vaccine”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 483 people in the U.S. have recently contracted measles amid a growing outbreak. Most infections have been among unvaccinated people. Cases have been confirmed in 20 states, including neighboring New Mexico. But so far no cases have been confirmed in Arizona.

The CDC says vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of measles and says two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing the virus.