Charlie Denis
Audio By Carbonatix
If you were at the Tate McRae concert at the Mortgage Matchup Center last Wednesday night, a high-energy synth-pop show might not be the only thing you caught.
According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, a concertgoer from outside the county tested positive for measles and may have exposed others. The concert took place at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Suns’ arena in downtown Phoenix.
“We are working closely with partners at the city and state levels, as well as at venues where the exposures occurred, to ensure that people are aware and protected,” Dr. Nick Staab, the county public health department’s chief medical officer, said in a press release. “This is a good reminder that any of us can face an exposure, and being vaccinated is our best defense.”
Attendees who were at the center from 6 p.m. on Nov. 5 until a half-hour after midnight that night may have been exposed. Additionally, people may have been exposed if they were staying at the Home2 Suites by Hilton in downtown Phoenix, just a block south of the concert venue. The county health department said people who were at the hotel from 3 p.m. on Nov. 5 to 1 p.m. on Nov. 6 should watch for symptoms.
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Home2 Suites in downtown Phoenix didn’t immediately respond to New Times’ request to comment.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humanity. Individuals vaccinated with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are considered to be strongly protected, but unvaccinated people are especially vulnerable. More than 90% of unvaccinated people who come into contact with a positive case will become infected, Staab said.
The disease can manifest as a red rash on the face that spreads to the rest of the body, accompanied by white spots in the mouth. Patients can develop a fever, cough, red and watery eyes and a runny nose. Measles can lower the immune system and lead to more severe side effects, such as pneumonia and encephalitis. Young, unvaccinated children are also especially vulnerable to adverse measles symptoms.
“Measles is highly contagious and can have severe complications,” Staab stated. “But the good news is that it is preventable.”
Unvaccinated individuals who were at either of those locations during the specified time period should monitor for symptoms through Nov. 27. If symptoms develop, people are encouraged to seek medical care and testing, but should call their provider, local hospital or urgent care ahead of time to inform them of the potential exposure before visiting. The provider will have instructions upon arrival to prevent further exposure from occurring at the facility.
The positive measles cases in Maricopa County come as the county’s second-largest outbreak of measles this year is continuing to spread in a tight-knit community along the Arizona-Utah border. More than 180 positive measles cases have been connected to that outbreak, which is centered in the twin towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah.
Earlier this year, a traveler through Maricopa County’s Phoenix Sky Harbor airport also tested positive for measles, but it didn’t spread to any county residents. Four cases of measles in Navajo County were also reported earlier this year, but those numbers have not increased.
