Measles: 2 new cases confirmed in Maricopa County, health officials say

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Measles (CDC)

PHOENIX - Officials with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health say they are now seeing measles spreading within the community, as two new cases of the illness have been identified.

What we know:

Per a statement released on Jan. 23, MCDPH said of the two new cases, one had no known source of exposure.

"These new cases underscore the growing risk of local transmission and the importance of vaccination and early symptom recognition," read a portion of the statement.

Dig deeper:

Health officials say they have also identified three additional locations where people may have been exposed to measles as a result of the cases. All three locations are in Gilbert, and they include:

• Target at 1515 E. Warner Rd., from 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2026.
• EOS Fitness at 3025 S. Val Vista, from 4:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. on both Jan. 13 and Jan. 15, 2026.
• Sam's Club at 1225 N . Gilbert Rd., from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2026.

Officials are urging people to watch for symptoms until Feb. 5. For those who were at the Target on Jan. 13, they are urging them to watch for symptoms until Feb. 3.

What you can do:

Health experts say "approximately 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected," but it is preventable with vaccines.

"In alignment with CDC guidance in the setting of a local measles outbreak, MCDPH recommends infants aged 6-11 months to get early MMR vaccination in addition to the 2 scheduled doses at 1 year and 4-6 years," read a portion of their statement.