Anti-Vaccine ‘Anti-Vaxxer’ Movement Responsible for 2016 Arizona Measles Outbreak? Measles Spread from Illegal Immigrants to Americans

A measles outbreak in Arizona now has eleven confirmed cases, according to CBS News, and the risk of more infections is probable. Health officials are concerned because of the popularity of the anti-vaxxer, or anti-vaccine movement, where some parents refuse to immunize their children against measles and other diseases.

Measles outbreak traced to illegal alien detention center in Arizona: https://t.co/wAjZ5WcL1X #immigration

— Jon Feere (@JonFeere) May 31, 2016

The measles outbreak began at Eloy Detention Center, a federal detention center in Eloy, AZ, for undocumented immigrants. There are now 11 confirmed cases of measles; seven inmates and four workers are infected with the potentially deadly disease. Eloy Detention Center, a privately owned facility run by CCA, has stopped accepting new inmates until the disease is under control.

Arizona health officials, said the Arizona Republic, warned of more than a dozen places in Pinal and Maricopa counties where people may have been exposed to measles. Measles is highly contagious.

The outbreak began in a detention center for undocumented immigrants. The first known victim was an illegal immigrant, but it is unknown whether he was exposed to measles in Mexico or the USA. Some people are blaming illegal aliens for bringing measles to Arizona, but vaccinations in Mexico are comparable or better than in the United States, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

The Arizona Department of Health Services is working to identify people who may have been exposed outside Eloy Detention Facility. They’ve encouraged people who may have visited any of the identified locations to be aware of measles symptoms. Symptoms include fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and runny nose, followed by a rash. White spots called Koplik’s spots may form inside the mouth, usually two or three days after other symptoms begin. A red, blotchy rash begins on the face and moves down the body, usually three to five days after the other symptoms. The rash generally lasts five to six days. However, symptoms of measles do not normally develop until 10-12 days after exposure. Sometimes symptoms do not appear for up to three weeks after exposure. Because measles is an airborne virus, it is easily spread. People with measles can infect others for approximately a week, from four days before the rash begins, when they may not realize yet that they are infected, to four days after the start of the rash.

Eleven Measles Cases in Arizona Traced to Inmate at Immigrant Detention Center https://t.co/rtzLmd19EF

— Jewhadi™ (@JewhadiTM) May 31, 2016

Arizona is home to anti-vaccine advocate Dr. Jack Wolfson. As explained by CNN, Dr. Wolfson was being investigated by the Arizona Medical Board because of his anti-vaccine stance. He claims getting measles and other diseases and establishing a natural immunity is healthier than being vaccinated because of the chemicals in vaccines.

We should be getting measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, these are the rights of our children to get it.

The Inquisitr has warned before of the dangers of not vaccinating children to prevent measles. Before the development of a measles vaccine, the USA had four million cases of measles per year. Although most people think of measles as a minor children’s disease, prior to the vaccine 500 people died from measles every year in this country alone. Thousands suffered major complications: deafness, blindness, brain damage. According to an article published in the journal Science last year, measles can also leave survivors at increased risk for mortality from other diseases for two years or more. The last death from measles in the United States was in 2015; it was the first death from measles in this country since 2003.

The Center for Disease Control declared measles eradicated in the United States in 2000. Unfortunately, the disease didn’t stay eradicated. Travelers overseas brought measles into the United States and exposed people who had never been vaccinated.

Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, warned of the dangers of measles.

It’s so contagious people can catch it after going into a room two hours after someone with measles has been in it.

Dr. Christ admitted she expected to see measles spread in Arizona.

We expect to see more. How big it’s going to get, we don’t have any idea at this point.

[Photo by John Moore/Getty Images]

Anti-Vaccine ‘Anti-Vaxxer’ Movement Responsible for 2016 Arizona Measles Outbreak? Measles Spread from Illegal Immigrants to Americans is an article from: The Inquisitr News