A measles outbreak in Mohave County along the Arizona-Utah border continues to grow.
It’s become the region’s largest such outbreak in decades.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has confirmed 80 cases of measles in the county in recent months.
They’re centered in the Colorado City community on the Utah border, which has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.
It brings the total number of measles cases in Arizona to 84 this year.
Meanwhile, the Southwest Utah Public Health Department has identified 43 cases in that state, in Washington and Iron counties.
During the current measles outbreak, eight cases have resulted in hospitalization, five in Utah and three in Arizona.
Utah health officials say so far, the majority of those who’ve become sick were not immunized.
Both Mohave County and southwestern Utah have some of the lowest vaccination rates between the states.
Last year, 78% of Mohave County kindergarteners had received their MMR vaccine, which helps prevent measles, mumps and rubella.
