Health officials in Arizona are becoming more worried as measles is spreading in the state. The infection virus was initially detected at Eloy, Arizona, and the number of cases has since then increased.
First Signs Of Measles Outbreak Arizona
The first signs of the measles outbreak were detected in the federal detention center in Eloy. One detainee infected with the virus was brought in and the virus soon spread to one of the center's staff despite the fact that said staff was vaccinated against the virus.
Just like what happened in the Harvard measles outbreak, one is not entirely immune from the virus despite vaccination. If one is exposed to the virus incessantly, then the possibility of being infected is not remote.
Infection Spread Rapidly
With the Arizona measles outbreak, the spread of the virus was understandable. Huffington Post reported that after the first staffer was infected other staffers followed suit. As of Tuesday, there were already 11 cases reported. Out of the said number four were staffers and seven were detainees.
Because of the outbreak, the Eloy Detention Center made it a point to vaccinate both detainees and staffers against measles. Aside from the vaccination, those detainees who were infected were also being isolated so as to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Fox 10 Phoenix said that Dr. Cara Christ from the Department of Health Services said that the initial 11 cases were in Pinal County. However, the virus has already spread in another county.
Containing The Measles
Aside from vaccinating the detainees and staffers at the Eloy Detention Center, other efforts made to contain and prevent further spread of the virus were to identify the people who were in the areas visited by the four detainees. By identifying these people, they will know or project who could possibly be infected. Some of the locations that were said to have been visited by the staffers were stores, casino and also restaurants.
Being a contagious disease, people are prone to contract the virus even if they have been previously vaccinated. Once exposed to the virus, measles symptoms will be appearing up to 21 days.
