US measles cases reach highest number in nearly three decades, CDC says

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/30/health/us-measles-highest-since-1994-cdc-bn/index.html

US measles cases reach highest number in nearly three decades, CDC says

By Debra Goldschmidt, CNN

Updated 9:51 PM ET, Thu May 30, 2019

(CNN) — There have been 971 cases of measles reported in the United States this year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. This means 2019, which is not quite half over, now has the greatest number of cases in a single year in nearly three decades. The number of cases in 1994 was 963, which was lower than in 1992 when there were 2,237 cases.

"Measles is preventable and the way to end this outbreak is to ensure that all children and adults who can get vaccinated, do get vaccinated. Again, I want to reassure parents that vaccines are safe, they do not cause autism. The greater danger is the disease that vaccination prevents," said CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.
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New York has been the largest contributor to this year's unfortunate milestone with nearly 700 cases of measles reported this year in the state. Most of those cases have been in Orthodox Jewish communities with low vaccination rates.

Clark County in Washington state had the second-largest outbreak in the US this year with more than 70 cases reported. The county has low vaccination rates.

"If these outbreaks continue through summer and fall, the United States may lose its measles elimination status. That loss would be a huge blow for the nation and erase the hard work done by all levels of public health. The measles elimination goal, first announced in 1966 and accomplished in 2000, was a monumental task," the agency said in statement. "Before widespread use of the measles vaccine, an estimated 3 to 4 million people got measles each year in the United States, along with an estimated 400 to 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations."
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The cases in the Unites States are imported from international travel and then local outbreaks begin when the highly contagious illness spreads to those who are not immune to the virus from vaccination or having recovered from measles. With the busy summer travel season just about to get underway there's concern about continued importation of measles among vacationers.
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