State health officials say the measles outbreak centered in Mohave County is officially over.
The Arizona Department of Health Services made the announcement Wednesday after 42 days without a new case linked to the outbreak.
The outbreak began last August and quickly became Arizona’s largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years. Close to 300 cases were reported in Mohave County during that time with most in the twin border communities of Colorado City and Hildale, Utah.
Health officials say nearly all of the cases involved people who were unvaccinated.
The last confirmed case was at the end of April. Measles symptoms can take up to three weeks to appear, so officials wait through two full incubation periods before declaring an outbreak over.
However, additional cases have recently been reported elsewhere in Arizona, and measles continues to circulate in southwest Utah..
Public health officials continue to urge vaccination, noting that measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that can lead to serious complications.
