A northern Arizona county is reporting 4 measles cases, the state's first in 2025
The announcement from the Navajo County Public Health Services District June 9 came amid a national surge of measles, with 1,168 cases reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as of June 6, which is more than four times the number reported during all of 2024.
Compounding the threat for Arizonans are recent cases in five neighboring states: California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
The four cases in Navajo County involve people who were not vaccinated against measles. The four were infected from a single source and have a recent history of international travel, health district officials say.
Public health officials are trying to identify locations where exposure may have happened and are in the process of identifying people who may have been exposed, the Navajo County health district said in a written statement. Officials estimate the "potential exposure" dates were between May 17 and May 28 and said anyone who may have been exposed should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure.
Symptoms include a high fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, a cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes and a rash beginning at the head and spreading downward
A measles outbreak that began earlier this year in Texas killed two unvaccinated school-age children, resulted in 94 hospitalizations and totaled 742 cases overall.
In a related outbreak, New Mexico health officials as of June 3 reported 81 measles cases and the death of one adult who tested positive for measles.
Arizona is particularly vulnerable to a measles outbreak because community protection has been waning as an increasing number of parents and guardians are choosing not to vaccinate their children with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine, known as MMR.
There likely are several reasons for the decline, including problems accessing the vaccine, vaccine skepticism and a lack of scientifically accurate education about the risks and benefits of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
Measles can affect people of any age and cause an array of complications, including deafness, blindness and brain inflammation, in addition to death. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective in protecting against measles infection, evidence shows.
Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at Stephanie.Innes@gannett.com or follow her on X: @stephanieinnes.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona confirms 4 measles cases amid a national surge
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Measles vaccine plea ahead of school term
Parents are being urged by health officials to make sure their children are vaccinated before the return to school as measles cases still circulate in the West Midlands. Uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jabs by age five is as low as 75.8% in parts of the region, according the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) - the World Health Organisation recommends a 95% uptake to prevent outbreaks. It comes after Birmingham saw an outbreak in 2025 with 26 confirmed cases between January and June, government figures showed. Katie Spence, from the UKHSA, described measles as a "nasty virus" that can spread quickly among unvaccinated children and adults in places like schools and nurseries. "It can lead to serious health problems including ear and chest infections, inflammation of the brain, with some children ending up in hospital and being left with permanent disabilities. Tragically, in rare cases, it can even be fatal," she said. "As children under the age of one cannot be vaccinated against measles, it's important siblings are vaccinated to protect little ones and other vulnerable people – including those with weakened immune systems – who are unable to have the MMR vaccine and rely on the rest of us to protect them from measles." She added that if parents are unsure about their child's vaccination record, they can check their Red Book, the NHS app or contact their GP surgery. In 2024, figures from the UKHSA showed 329 of 465 (71%) measles cases across England from October 2023 to February 2024 were in the West Midlands. A GP in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham said at the time that, in the majority of cases, medics were seeing were in unvaccinated people. The latest measles data from the UKHSA this summer revealed that there have been 674 laboratory-confirmed measles cases reported in England since 1 January, with 145 in 3-31 July. The West Midlands had 34 out of the 674 cases. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More stories like this Measles vaccination reminder as cases stabilise Health boss tells of 'battle' with anti-vax groups Measles cases continuing to rise Measles warning for parents in East Sussex Related internet links UK Health Security Agency
San Francisco Chronicle
5 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Baby girl killed with parents in Gaza airstrike as Israelis urge a mass protest over the war
JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a baby girl and her parents on Saturday, Nasser hospital officials and witnesses said, while families of hostages called for a 'nationwide day of stoppage' in Israel to express growing frustration over 22 months of war. The baby's body, wrapped in blue, was placed on those of her parents as Palestinians prayed over them. Motasem al-Batta, his wife and the girl were killed in their tent in the crowded Muwasi area. 'Two and a half months, what has she done?" neighbor Fathi Shubeir asked, sweating as temperatures in the shattered territory soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). 'They are civilians in an area designated safe.' Israel's military said it is dismantling Hamas' military capabilities and takes precautions not to harm civilians. It said it couldn't comment on the strike without more details. Muwasi is one of the heavily populated areas in Gaza where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel plans to widen its coming military offensive. The mobilization of forces is expected to take weeks, and Israel may be using the threat to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages taken in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. Families of hostages fear the coming offensive further endangers the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, just 20 of them thought to remain alive. They and other Israelis were horrified by the recent release of videos showing emaciated hostages, speaking under duress, pleading for help and food. A group representing the families has urged Israelis into the streets on Sunday. 'Across the country, hundreds of citizen-led initiatives will pause daily life and join the most just and moral struggle: the struggle to bring all 50 hostages home,' it said in a statement. The United Nations is warning that levels of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at their highest since the war began. Palestinians are drinking contaminated water as diseases spread, while some Israeli leaders continue to talk openly about the mass relocation of people from Gaza. Another 11 malnutrition-related deaths occurred in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the territory's Health Ministry said Saturday, with one child was among them. That brings malnutrition-related deaths during the war to 251. The U.N. and partners say getting aid into the territory of over 2 million people, and then on to distribution points, remains highly challenging with Israeli restrictions and pressure from crowds of hungry Palestinians. The U.N. human rights office says at least 1,760 people were killed while seeking aid between May 27 and Wednesday. It says 766 were killed along routes of supply convoys and 994 in the vicinity of 'non-U.N. militarized sites," a reference to the Israeli-backed and U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which since May has been the primary distributor of aid in Gaza. The Hamas-led attack in 2023 killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 61,897 people in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, which does not specify how many were fighters or civilians but says around half were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Multiple locations in Mesa County may have been exposed to measles
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Four different places in Mesa County were possibly exposed to measles as recently as Thursday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). CDPHE and Mesa County Public Health (MCPH) confirmed the case of measles in a Mesa County resident, who never received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). The individual has no known connection to other recent exposures in the state and has not traveled outside Colorado. The locations, dates and times are: Landmark Baptist Church and School, 1600 Ute Ave., Aug. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Aug. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A (dine-in and drive-thru), 522 Bogart Lane, Aug 8 from 3 p.m. to midnight. Burger King (dine-in only), 1730 North Ave., Aug. 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. Community Hospital Emergency Department, 2351 G Road, Aug. 11-12 from 7 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. and Aug. 14 from 5:18 to 7:33 p.m. Symptoms may start to develop from Aug. 28 to Sept. 4, typically 21 days after exposure. CDPHE stated that the lack of a clear infection source suggests the case may be the result of community transmission in Grand Junction. MCPH is investigating. Measles symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes and then a rash that starts several days later on the face and spreads. CDPHE suggested people should call a health care provider, urgent care or emergency department before going in and say they were exposed to measles. CDPHE stated that anyone who hasn't had the MMR vaccine can get it within 72 hours of exposure to prevent illness. 'Measles is a highly contagious, but preventable disease. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community,' CDPHE stated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
