State helps Pima County with measles outbreak; Governor allocates $50,000 to bolster public health interventions

  • Published
  • By Executive Office of Janet Napolitano, Governor
  • State of Arizona
PHOENIX --  Governor Janet Napolitano today issued an executive order allocating $50,000 from the state Health Crisis Fund to combat an outbreak of measles in Pima County.

The executive order calls for "aggressive and timely outbreak control measures" to stop the spread of the highly contagious disease. The funds will bolster public health interventions in Pima County and speed laboratory testing critical to interrupting the spread of measles.

"I am committed to ensuring Pima County has all the tools necessary to fight the spread of this preventable disease," Governor Napolitano said. "This is a reminder that vaccinations are the safest and most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones."

There are 14 confirmed cases of measles in Pima County, and new suspected cases are being identified daily. While the outbreak has been centered in Tucson, health officials stress that aggressive interventions are necessary to prevent the outbreak from becoming statewide.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is working with Pima County, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health care facilities to control the outbreak.

The Governor's executive order funds temporary deployment of ADHS epidemiologists to Pima County to assist with investigations and publish health interventions, and lab supplies that will significantly reduce the State Health Laboratory's turnaround time for measles sample testing from two days to a few hours. Some funds also will pay overtime for Lab employees to conduct testing during evenings and weekends.

Last week, Governor Napolitano cited the measles outbreak in encouraging childhood vaccinations and declaring April 19-26 as Infant Immunization Awareness Week.

"Measles has not been eradicated," Napolitano said. "This outbreak shows it can still be a very real health threat, and parents need to protect their children by making sure they have all their shots."

Measles is transmitted through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes nearby. Typically, symptoms begin about 10-14 days after exposure to an infected person. The first symptoms are usually a cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and fever. Typically, the next symptom is a red, blotchy rash that begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Anyone who suspects measles in a patient should report the suspected case to the patient's local health department immediately. For more information, go to www.azdhs.gov or call the state's public health hotline at 1-800-314-9243.