The US Department of Homeland Security says an individual in detention at an Arizona Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility has measles, a extremely contagious virus that may trigger excessive fevers and a particular rash.
Earlier this month, “the Arizona Public Health Department confirmed an active measles infection of a Mexican national detainee housed at the Florence Detention Center,” a DHS spokesperson mentioned in an e-mail Wednesday.
“ICE Health Services Corp immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected,” the e-mail mentioned.
The Florence Detention Center is situated in Pinal County, Arizona, and since that preliminary case, two further measles circumstances have been recognized in the county.
“At this time, Pinal County Public Health Services District has confirmed three measles cases in the county,” spokesperson Jassmin Castro mentioned in an e-mail Wednesday. “PCPHSD continues to follow standard public health protocols for confirmed measles cases, in coordination with state public health partners. At this time, the overall risk to the general community remains low.”
The Florence Detention Center in Arizona is operated by the non-public firm CoreCivic, which offers detainees with well being care companies together with screening, prevention, well being schooling, prognosis and therapy, firm spokesperson Brian Todd mentioned in an e-mail Wednesday.
“The health and safety of those entrusted to our care is the top priority for CoreCivic. This commitment is shared by our government partners at ICE, and we work closely with them to ensure the well-being of everyone in our care,” Todd mentioned in the e-mail.
“All detainees have daily access to sign up for medical care and mental health services. For those medical needs requiring specialized care, the facility works closely with local hospitals and providers to meet those needs. Emergency care is available 24 hours a day, seven days per week.”
In 2016, a measles outbreak at an ICE detention middle in Pinal County resulted in greater than 30 circumstances of measles amongst detainees and 9 employees members, in line with a report printed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since the beginning of this 12 months, 25 measles circumstances have been reported throughout the state of Arizona.
Nationwide, the United States final 12 months recorded 2,242 measles infections, considerably greater than there have been in any 12 months since measles was declared eradicated in the US in 2000.
“Per our most recent data, three of those cases are from Pinal, 17 related to the Mohave outbreak that we know has been ongoing since last year, three in Maricopa and one in Pima County,” Dr. Joel Terriquez, medical director for the state’s Bureau of Infectious Diseases and the Bureau of Immunizations, mentioned on a information name Tuesday.
Before 2025, there have been a median of about 180 measles circumstances reported annually since elimination, in line with CDC knowledge. But to date this 12 months, there have already got been a minimum of 416 confirmed measles circumstances reported in the US.