The United States confirmed 4,080 measles cases as of this week, marking the highest number since 1991. Pennsylvania leads the outbreak with over 1,100 cases, accounting for more than a quarter of the national total. The country has experienced nine consecutive weeks of double-digit case increases, with health officials warning that at the current pace, measles cases will easily surpass last year’s total of 2,289 by year’s end. About 95 percent of confirmed cases involve people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.
Pennsylvania has reported five measles-related deaths, though the CDC currently lists only two deaths nationally. Nationally, approximately 17 percent of cases involve children under age 5, and 42 percent involve individuals under age 19. The CDC has distributed $100 million to states to support outbreak response efforts, including immunization programs and surveillance activities. Health officials emphasize that the MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective at preventing measles after two doses and urge vaccination rates to reach the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity.
Source: Read the full story at CIDRAP
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