Maricopa County health officials report another measles exposure in East Valley

PHOENIX – Maricopa County health officials reported a new exposure Wednesday as part of a recent measles outbreak in the East Valley.

The latest case involves a person who doesn’t live in metro Phoenix, according to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH).

The number of confirmed cases for Valley residents in 2026 remains at three. The first case was reported on Jan. 15. It was associated with overseas international travel, although the patient was not infectious while traveling.

MCDPH added one East Valley location to its list of public exposure sites on Wednesday.

The possible exposure occurred from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 23 and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa.

Anyone who was in the spectator areas around the baseball/softball fields during those times should watch for symptoms until Feb. 14, MCDPH said.

The public exposure site list now has five locations.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Symptoms of measles include a fever, red and watery eyes, a cough, a runny nose and a rash that develops after the other symptoms and is red, raised and blotchy.

The rash usually appears first on the face, near a person’s hairline, before moving down the body. The rash can last five to six days.

Anyone who develops symptoms is encouraged to self-isolate and seek medical care. Those who believe they have been infected should call their doctor in advance to ensure that other patients in waiting areas are not exposed to the virus.

The illness can typically be prevented through two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, which is recommended for all children. Adults who are not immunized should receive at least one dose, according to MCDPH.

How does measles spread?

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes.

People can catch it as much as two hours after an infected person leaves a room.

Arizona had 220 measles cases in 2025, most of which were part of an outbreak in Mohave County near the Arizona-Utah border, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Twenty-four more cases, including 17 in Mohave County, have been confirmed in the state so far this year.

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