The CDC issued a Monday warning as measles cases surge both in the United States and around the world.
The alert is titled “Increase in Global and Domestic Measles Cases and Outbreaks: Ensure Children in the United States and Those Traveling Internationally 6 Months and Older are Current on MMR Vaccination.”
The advisory, aimed at public health officials and clinicians, highlights the “highly contagious” nature of the disease. According to the federal health agency, there have been 58 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. just in the past three months, from January 1 to March 14.
This includes “seven outbreaks in seven jurisdictions compared to 58 total cases and four outbreaks reported the entire year in 2023.”
Further, it noted the vast majority of the cases, 93 percent, are linked to traveling internationally. Ultimately, the CDC is pushing more MMR vaccinations.
The CDC further stated:
Most cases reported in 2024 have been among children aged 12 months and older who had not received measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Many countries, including travel destinations such as Austria, the Philippines, Romania, and the United Kingdom, are experiencing measles outbreaks.
To prevent measles infection and reduce the risk of community transmission from importation, all U.S. residents traveling internationally, regardless of destination, should be current on their MMR vaccinations.
Healthcare providers should ensure children are current on routine immunizations, including MMR. Given currently high population immunity against measles in most U.S. communities, the risk of widescale spread is low. However, pockets of low coverage leave some communities at higher risk for outbreaks.
The alert arrives as Chicago, Illinois, sees a rise in measles cases within the city, with some cases connected to a migrant shelter.
As reported by NewsNation on Friday, “Officials say the child of an illegal border crosser had contracted the communicable disease, but it wasn’t detected until after the child was already non-contagious, meaning the entire 1,876 migrants in the shelter had been exposed to the disease for weeks prior to the announcement.”
According to the city’s dashboard, there have been 15 cases of measles among residents of Chicago this year, with two occurring in the past week.
Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, stated that they are “trying to get it under control by vaccinating as many people as possible.”
Symptoms of measles include a rash, fever, cough, and runny nose. The CDC notes that the rash usually emerges 3-5 days after the initial symptoms appear.
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