Measles rate soars again: Now more than 700 cases in 22 states, CDC reveals 

Measles rate soars again: Now more than 700 cases in 22 states, CDC reveals

  • Measles cases in the US have now surpassed the previous 2014 record with 704 cases in 22 states 
  • The virus is spreading among tight-knit communities and anti-vaccine groups 
  • International travel has introduced the virus into communities in Washington, Oregon and New York 

Measles cases continue to climb to new heights in the US with 704 sickened, the CDC’s latest figures reveal. 

The current outbreak eclipsed the number of cases from 2014 last week, shattering the previous record since the disease was declared ‘eradicated’ in the US in 2000. 

Measles has reappeared, particularly in close-knit and religious communities, and its rise trails growing anti-vaccination sentiments among Americans. 

Cases have now been reported  in 22 states, but hotbeds in New York, Washington and Oregon continue to contribute the greatest numbers of new cases each week. 

In New York, measles has spread like wildfire in Orthodox Jewish communities where some believe that a vaccine constitutes a foreign body which the 

‘Outbreaks in New York City and state are the largest …the longer continue, the greater tha chance measles will once again get a foothold in the United States,’ said Dr Nancy Messonier. 

 

Most cases were imported by international travelers, but all of them were old enough to have been vaccinated. 

CDC officials also underscored the role of misinformation in the current outbreaks. 

Social media and on-the-ground community agents have been disseminating misconceptions among many communities about the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine. 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk