Migrant child thought to have measles actually has strep throat
Apr 18, 2019, 1:01 PM | Updated: 4:44 pm
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
PHOENIX — A Guatemalan child in immigration custody in Arizona was misdiagnosed with the measles and actually has strep throat, authorities said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported Thursday morning that the 8-year-old girl was diagnosed with the measles Wednesday during a screening.
However, further examination at a regional medical center determined she had strep throat, an agency spokesman told KTAR News 92.3 FM Thursday afternoon.
No explanation was provided about why the illness was diagnosed incorrectly.
The girl was the only one of the group, made up of Guatemalan and Honduran nationals, thought to have measles.
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She and her father were quarantined from the other detainees after the initial diagnosis, and the Yuma County Health Department was notified.
There has been one confirmed case of the measles in Arizona so far this year.
A 12-month-old infant from Pima County was diagnosed in March.
According to the public health agencies, the infant with the confirmed case had Asia-related travel.
The number of measles cases in the U.S. through the first three months of the year surpassed the count for all of 2018, health officials said.
There were 387 cases through March, including the one in Arizona, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. There were 372 all of last year.
