Mariah Mitchell
MC301 Contributor
In 2000, the United States declared measles eliminated from the country. Now, 19 years later, 555 cases of measles have been confirmed in 20 states. This is the second greatest number of cases reported in the United States since measles was considered eliminated.
The states that have reported cases to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.
According to the New York Times, on April 9 New York’s mayor Bill de Blasio, declared a public health emergency that would require unvaccinated individuals living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to receive the measles vaccine. The mayor said the city would issue violations and possibly fines of $1,000 for those who did not comply.
Blasio also tried harsher measures, like a school ban on unvaccinated students from going to school.
Blasio stated that unvaccinated children in the zip codes of 11205, 11206, 11211, and 11249 could not return to school or daycare for the duration of the outbreak stating that that kids and families had to be protected.
Dr. Robert Smith, a physician at the Health Center at Jackson State University believes vaccinations are very important.
“In an unvaccinated population, one person with measles can infect 12 to 18 others so it is very important to make sure you are up to date with your vaccinations,” Dr. Smith said.
According to the CDC, the outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring.
According to the World Health Organization, while global measles deaths have decreased by 84 percent worldwide in recent years, measles is still common in many developing countries, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia.
The measure follows a spike in measles infections in New York City, where there have been 285 confirmed cases since the outbreak began in the fall; 21 of those cases led to hospitalizations, including five admissions to the intensive care unit.
Dr. Samuel Jones, director of Health Services at Jackson State University, said, “If you have not been vaccinated and have majority of the measles symptoms, I would recommend you go immediately to the hospital.”
Measles is a deadly infectious disease that typically strikes children. After an incubation period of 10 to 12 days, measles comes on as a fever, cough, stuffy nose, and bloodshot and watery eyes. Loss of appetite and malaise are common too.
According to the CCD, 81 people brought back measles to the United States from other countries in 2018. Although some people argue that measles is a relatively harmless childhood disease, it can kill.
Measles can cause encephalitis and pneumonia and before mass vaccinations began in the 1980s, measles killed nearly 2.6 million people per year.
The outbreaks in New York and Washington state began last fall and they are still going on. Clark County, bordering Oregon in southwestern Washington, has reported 22 cases.
People who are fully vaccinated against measles have very little risk of becoming infected. The vaccine provides upward sof 95 percent protection. But measles is one of the most infectious viruses known and will infect 90 percent of unimmunized people who breathe it in.
