Arizona Tries to Contain Measles Outbreak Days Before Super Bowl

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Health officials in three Arizona counties said hundreds of people may have been exposed to the highly contagious measles virus, three days before thousands of sports fans pour into the state for the Super Bowl.

The National Football League championship game will be held in Maricopa County at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on Feb. 1. Officials there, and in Pinal and Gila counties, are looking for people who have been to hospitals, grocery stores and a post office where infected residents visited.

“Measles is wildly infectious, which is why it is so important that we identify cases quickly and do our best to stop the spread early on,” Bob England, director of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “That means keeping unvaccinated people who have been exposed to the disease away from others.”

Arizona has reported eight cases so far, two in Maricopa County. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to man, with each original patient able to infect many others if they aren’t vaccinated. Maricopa health workers are trying to track down 195 people, mostly children, Jeanene Fowler, a spokeswoman for the county health department said in an e-mail Thursday.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-29/arizona-tries-to-contain-measles-outbreak-days-before-super-bowl

[bigwillq]

1. I hope everyone considers getting vaccinated

This is a very preventable disease with vaccination.

[Sentath]

2. If I were playing Plague Inc. this would be a national event like

'Kissing Day' rather than an international one like the London Olympics.

A good chance to ramp up infectiousness ahead of symptoms and soak into the population. But, no good for international spreading except for incidental travel.

Thank goodness viruses aren't tactical. I'm not sure I could 'win' from this start, but it would make a mess of the planet.

[nc4bo]

9. Yep but it could also mutate on its own and become air or water borne.

Perhaps even jumping to animals or birds.

I enjoy a good game of Plague every now and again. Realistic scenarios can scare the poop out of me every now and again!

[Orrex]

3. On the plus side, measles-related swelling won't be a problem with the Patriots in town.

[dembotoz]

5. funny

[benld74]

4. Now IF they occur in areas AWAY OUTSIDE the current area,

in say a week or so after the Turd Bowl. THAT would be interesting

[TeamPooka]

6. You thought soft balls were the only thing you had to worry about on Sunday. nt

[SoapBox]

7. Speaking of AZ...

I've not noticed one word in the media from Gov. Stupid.

Is she still in office?

[Coventina]

8. nope. We have a new Gov. Stupid.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

*sigh*

[Fred Sanders]

10. Give the fast food workers and all workers paid sick leave?

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

11. These anti-vaccine folks are really screwing the whole society.

Just imagine 100,000 people in the SB - everybody yelling, coughing, and sneezing. Then imagine them going back to probably all 50 states.

Can anyone say PANDEMIC? And the more people that refuse vaccines for their kids or themselves are playing a high-risk game of hide the hotdog, but the end result won't be orgasmic!

[Historic NY]

12. Too little too late...go with the GOP "pray the plague away" backup plan.