Measles cases continue to spike – highest number reported in nearly 20 years

April 25, 2019

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, April 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a record 695 number of measles cases since 2000, which is when the disease was finally eliminated from the U.S.  

A large outbreak in Washington State and two large outbreaks in New York, which started in late 2018 are where most cases exist. The outbreaks in New York City and New York State are among the largest and longest lasting since 2000. “The longer these outbreaks continue, the greater the chance measles will again get a sustained foothold in the United States,” said the CDC in its announcement.  

CDC added that it is working around the clock to protect people from catching this highly contagious disease and urges people who haven’t been vaccinated against measles, to do so. “Today, the overwhelming majority of parents choose to protect their children with vaccines, and we’ve seen high and stable immunization rates in the U.S. for several years,” said CDC.  

"With a safe and effective vaccine that protects against measles, the suffering we are seeing is avoidable,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a separate statement. “The CDC is ready to support public health departments in monitoring and responding to outbreaks, and will continue to receive, review, and compile the latest reports of measles cases.”

CDC said the current measles outbreak is attributed to unvaccinated travelers going into areas where the disease is still active and then bringing it back to the U.S. and exposing it to people in a community who are not vaccinated. “When measles is imported into a community with a highly vaccinated population, outbreaks either don’t happen or are usually small,” CDC said. “However, once measles is in an under-vaccinated community, it becomes difficult to control the spread of the disease.”  

The World Health Organization reported this month that there has been a 300 percent  increase in the number of measles cases worldwide compared with the first three months of 2018, part of a global trend seen over the past few years as other countries face a decline in the number of people getting vaccinated, which is adding to the problem in America.

CDC said the outbreaks in New York are attributed to misinformation circulating in specific communities about the safety of the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine. “Some organizations are deliberately targeting these communities with inaccurate and misleading information about vaccines,” said CDC, adding that local leaders should make sure to respond with accurate, scientific-based information in response.

CDC will release the next round of new numbers of measles cases on Monday, April 29, as part of efforts during National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) to emphasize the life-saving benefits of childhood immunization.