Measles in Maricopa County confirmed, Disneyland blamed
Jan 22, 2015, 8:54 AM | Updated: 11:11 am
The happiest place on earth has become the most contagious place in earth.
On Wednesday Arizona confirmed its first case of measles. Its believed a woman in her 50s tested positive after a visit to the amusement park in mid-December.
The California Department of Public Health confirmed earlier this week there were nearly 60 cases of measles in the last month. More than half of those have been linked to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.
“Mitigating factors allowed this person to go unreported for a few weeks,” said Dr. Bob England, director of Maricopa County Department of Public Health. “Luckily, we were able to quickly identify the small group of individuals that may have been exposed.”
However, England warns, Arizonans “to be vigilant in identifying measles’ signs and symptoms.”
Measles is preventable with a vaccine.
Symptoms:
• Typically appear 7-12 days after exposure to measles but may take up to 21 days.
• Begin with fever (101 degrees or higher), red, watery eyes, cough and runny nose.
• A rash that is red, raised, and blotchy. The rash begins on the face at the hairline and moves down the body. The rash may last for nearly a week and may turn brownish.
Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, an infectious disease specialist in Phoenix, said about 30 percent of those who get measles develop complications that could include pneumonia and ear infections.
About 1 in 1,000 could develop “inflammation around the brain that can lead to seizures and permanent deafness.”
For more information on measles or where you may find the vaccine, go to wearepublichealth.org/.
