Two contract measles from Arizona family who went to Disneyland
Jan 27, 2015, 2:02 PM | Updated: 3:40 pm
PHOENIX — A Pinal County man and Maricopa County woman are recovering this week after being diagnosed with the measles.
In a release, officials said the unidentified man contracted the sickness from an unactivated Arizona family who came down with measles after a recent trip to Disneyland.
The man visited several places in the Kearny, Ariz. area while contagious:
• Big D’s, 1113 Tillbury, Kearny — 5:30-8:30 a.m. on Jan. 22
• Gordon’s IGA, 352 Alden Rd, Kearny– 3-8 p.m. on Jan. 22
• Kearny Health Mart, 338 Alden Rd, Kearny — 4:30-7 p.m. on Jan. 22
• Kearny Post Office, 388 Alden Rd, Kearny– 3-8 p.m. on Jan. 22
• Cactus Mini-Mart, 352 Alden Rd, Kearny–5:30-8:30 a.m. on Jan. 23
“We have already contacted these places of business this patient visited,” Public Health Acting Director Kore Redden said. “These businesses are assisting the health department by placing signs at their entrances to inform customers and employees that they could have been exposed if they were in these locations during specific timeframes.”
The unidentified female also contracted measles from the same Pinal County family. She may have exposed individuals at Phoenix Children’s East Valley Center to measles.
“As you would expect, the minute Phoenix Children’s heard about a potential case of measles with exposure at one of their facilities, their team was immediately mobilized to identify and notify all who may have been exposed by this individual,” Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine said.
The health center is contacting families who were in the facility on Jan. 21-22.
The California Department of Public Health confirmed last 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.
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/.
KTAR’s Cooper Rummell contributed to this report.
