Measles and flu cases begin to rise in Maricopa County

The Maricopa County Health Department is warning Gilbert residents of a possible measles exposure.

Officials say a person with measles was at Hale Theatre in Gilbert earlier this month. The exposure occurred between January 5th through the 7th and again on the 8th and 9th. Arizona is also seeing an influx of flu cases.

Will Humble, Executive Director of Arizona Public Health Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the rising cases.

“There’s been an increase in [flu] cases but not like a crazy spike that fills up hospital beds,” Humble said. “It’s been worse in like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, that eastern seaboard.”

Although the rise in flu cases is minimal, the concern has shifted to climbing number of measles cases. Since August 2025, there have been 239 cases and 14 hospitalizations, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

“Not enough people are getting vaccinations and not enough people are vaccinating their kids,” Humble said. “We’ve now dropped to the level where, when there’s a case of measles from international travel for example, it can start spreading in the community if it gets into pockets of unvaccinated groups of people.”

There are four counties – Maricopa, Mohave, Pima and Pinal – that are actively tracking cases. In Maricopa county, three thousand contacts were made from just three cases. This occurs when people with measles go out to public places.

“The incubation period [after measles exposure] has actually a pretty wide range. It can be from seven to fifteen days,” Humble said.

Humble advises to stay home for at least 21 days after being diagnosed with measles to avoid the risk of exposing others. He suggested getting a measles vaccination for those in the exposed person(s) household who if they haven’t already received one.

Maricopa county is now recommending that babies get their first MMR vaccine at 6-months rather than the typical 12 months mark.

“Those little kids are the most susceptible,” Humble said. “They’re the ones that are most likely to get the pneumonia and even die or have permanent brain damage from encephalitis.”

To learn more about Arizona’s latest measles outbreak and health safety, visit AZDHS.