Measles
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Explore this page to learn more about measles, updates, resources, and recent news.
About Measles
According to the World Health Organization, "Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death. Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children. Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body. Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus. Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year.An estimated 128,000 people died from measles in 2021 – mostly children under the age of five years, despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine."
March 18, 2024- "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and public health officials of an increase in global and U.S. measles cases and to provide guidance on measles prevention for all international travelers aged ≥6 months and all children aged ≥12 months who do not plan to travel internationally."
April 18, 2024- According to the CDC, "As of April 18, 2024, a total of 125 measles cases were reported by 18 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington. There have been 7 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2024, and 69% of cases (86 of 125) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 4 outbreaks were reported during 2023 and 48% of cases (28 of 58) were outbreak-associated. For more information on the ongoing outbreak in Chicago, Illinois see the Chicago Department of Public Health Measles Update."