US sees surge in measles cases as health experts plead for more vaccinations
Measles cases in the US are rising, as major health organizations plead for increased vaccination rates and experts fear the virus will multiply among unvaccinated populations.
Most notably, this year’s tally of measles cases has now outpaced last year’s total.
On Thursday, there were 64 confirmed cases in 17 states, compared with 58 cases in the entirety of last year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By Friday, the tally in Chicago grew by two to a total of 17.
“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to man,” said Dr David Nguyen, an infectious disease specialist at Rush University Medical Center.
Experts say that these incidents could approach the outbreak that spanned 31 states in 2019, when 1,274 patients got sick and 128 were hospitalized in the worst US measles outbreak in decades.
“Every measles outbreak can be entirely preventable,” said Dr Aniruddha Hazra, associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
The American Medical Association has issued an appeal to increase vaccination rates, while the CDC released a health advisory urging providers to ensure all travelers, especially children over six months, receive the MMR vaccine.
Source: The Guardian, 26 March 2024