In 2020, the measles virus was considered eliminated in the United States. This means while there were some occasional outbreaks, it was not a constant presence. Health officials are now warning this status is under threat.
There have already been 113 cases, including seven outbreaks, in 2024. These span 17 states. On April 11, 2024, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report warning about the growing number of cases.
Part of the reason for the uptick in cases is the decline in vaccination rates. It is no longer a given that kids are inoculated in childhood. The CDC is urging people to get immunized because the vaccines are so effective. When looking at the people who caught the virus, over 80% were either unvaccinated or unsure of their status.
This issue isn’t just occurring in the United States. The World Health Organization warned that worldwide cases were up 79% in 2023. It predicts that more than half of the world’s countries could see an outbreak unless preventive measures are taken. The WHO spoke out about this in a press conference on February 20, 2024.
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Dr. Sandra Kemmerly is an infectious diseases specialist. She works as the system medical director for quality and patient safety at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, Louisiana. “Measles is a highly contagious virus that can spread quickly through the general public if people are not vaccinated,” she told Today. “The current increase in cases is alarming and can most likely be explained by a decrease in the overall vaccination rate.”
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