Pima County confirms 1st measles case as Arizona outbreak grows

The number of Arizona counties impacted by measles continues to grow. Pima County is the latest to report an infection.

Arizona’s current measles outbreak is the state’s largest in more than 30 years. The state first reported four measles cases in June in Navajo County. Since then, the outbreak has grown to 214 cases. The vast majority of those — 208 cases — have been in Mohave County, mostly in the geographically isolated community of Colorado City.

But Coconino County reported its first measles case last week, and now Pima County has reported a case.

“While we have been very lucky that we haven’t seen as many cases spread to other counties, we are starting to see cases in other parts of our state,” said Nicole Witt, assistant director of the Public Health Preparedness Division at the Arizona Department of Health Services. “Just a reminder to everyone to continue to be vigilant.”

The Pima County Health Department reports an individual who traveled over the southern border into Arizona was recently hospitalized for measles in Tucson. Pima County officials are working with the state health department to investigate the case but say the infected individual was quickly isolated.

“The overall risk to the public is low and there is no known public exposure at this time,” Pima County officials said in a press release.

But Witt said Arizonans should be aware that the virus is still spreading. And she noted nine people have been hospitalized as a result of the state’s ongoing outbreak.

“It is something to take very seriously,” Witt said. “It does spread quickly, it is a very contagious disease, it can live in the air for several hours.”

Witt said vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Ninety-seven percent of cases in the state’s ongoing outbreak have been among unvaccinated people.