The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 30 states now have reported measles outbreaks.
From January 1 to July 18, 2019, 1,148 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 30 states.This is the greatest number of cases reported in the U.S. since 1992 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000, according to the CDC.
The states that have reported cases to CDC are:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington
Here in Colorado there has only been one confirmed cases of measles this year, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The CDC said the spread of measles is because the majority of people who get measles were unvaccinated and that measles are still common in many parts of the world.
The disease can be serious in all age groups, however there are several groups that are more likely to suffer from measles complications, according to the CDC. They are:
- Children younger than 5-years-old
- Adults older than 20 years of age
- Pregnant women
- People with compromised immune systems, such as leukemia or HIV infection
Most measles cases in the U.S. result from international travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises travelers to plan to be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks before you depart for international travel. If your trip is less than 2 weeks away and you’re not protected against measles, you should still get a dose of the MMR vaccine. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine protects against all 3 diseases. Two doses of MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against measles; one dose provides 93% protection.
Before your next trip, check your destination.
If you are looking to get vaccinated, the El Paso County Public Health offers free and low-cost vaccines. Their clinic’s contact info can be found here.
