As of this year, the CDC reports that measles cases have been reported in seventeen states.
The number of cases of measles in the United States has increased dramatically over the last three months due to outbreaks in cities such as Chicago, Florida, and Philadelphia, pushing the overall number of infections well above the number for the entire year 2023.
As of March 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had released the most recent data, which showed that 97 cases had been documented in 17 states. That represents a 67% increase over 58 for the entire year 2023.
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Measles Cases
The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more connected cases, and as of yet, seven outbreaks—up from four in 2023—have been documented for 2024. According to the CDC, over half of the 97 cases this year included children under the age of five, and over 70% of all cases have been linked to an outbreak.
More than 70% of those afflicted had either not received any vaccinations or had only had one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella shots.
Measles Cases
Numerous instances of measles have been reported in the Chicago area; as of Friday, 52 cases had been reported overall, spurred by an epidemic at a migrant shelter, according to preliminary statistics from the Chicago Department of Public Health. According to estimates, there have been 11 instances of measles in Florida so far this year, with several of them linked to the spread among pupils at a Broward County elementary school. On March 8, state health officials declared the end of the infectious period linked to the school cases.
When news broke in January that up to nine people were afflicted in an outbreak involving a Philadelphia children’s hospital and daycare center, worries about measles infections in the United States intensified.
Measles Cases
Measles is a highly contagious disease that, if an individual is not immune, can infect up to 90% of those who are in close contact with a person who has it. For every 1,000 cases, the virus can induce complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, and one to three children can die as a result.
The CDC released an advisory on March 18 advising parents to vaccinate their children against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR and RSV), which has been found to be 97% effective, in light of the surge in measles infections in the United States and around the world.
Measles Cases
The increase coincides with a drop in vaccination rates and a rise in kindergartener exemptions for the 2022–2023 school year.
Public health experts are nonetheless worried about possible outbreaks in vulnerable community clusters where vaccination rates are low, even though the overall level of measles vaccination coverage may avert a large-scale outbreak.
Measles Cases
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