WHO, CDC warn measles cases are increasing in America and worldwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. — There’s growing concern about the spread of a highly contagious yet preventable disease, the measles The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO) say global cases jumped more than 20% last year.

This comes after the measles had been eliminated for decades in dozens of countries. These health organizations also report more than 107,000 people died worldwide from the virus last year.

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“And unfortunately, the majority of the deaths that the who reported were among children less than five, which is really heartbreaking, because those are preventable deaths,” said Dr. Erica Prochaska, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

This year, the CDC has also tracked nearly 280 measles cases in the United States and most of them were in kids under five years old.

Health officials say the increase in cases is linked to a decrease in vaccination levels during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the U.S. vaccination rates among kindergartners fell to 92.7% coverage during the recent school year. That’s below the recommended threshold of 95% to keep communities safe. If this decline in measles vaccination rate continues, doctors warn the risk for outbreaks is even higher and the consequences are severe.

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“The measles actually really suppresses the immune system for a while after the infection, so it predisposes people to getting serious infections after the initial infection,” said Dr. Prochaska. “So, it is a very serious illness to get.”

Even if you survive a case of the measles, health officials warn it can cause serious health conditions like blindness, brain damage and pneumonia.

Health officials say the two-dose vaccine is safe and 97 %effective against measles. Dr. Prochaska adds that the vaccination isn’t just for your health, it helps protect those who can’t get vaccinated like children who are undergoing chemotherapy.

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“They’re really trusting their neighbors, their community, to get their kids vaccinated so that they can safely keep their kids in school or doing other normalizing activities without exposing them to a high risk of infection,” she said.

If you have questions about the vaccine, Dr. Prochaska recommends that you talk with your pediatrician or healthcare provider.

“I do really want to make sure that families that have made a decision to skip a vaccine and are concerned about the fact that measles is circulating and want to protect their child, please talk to your health care provider about getting up to date on the vaccine, because, you know, we don’t want to close the door on families,” she said. “We want to make sure that people understand that they’re welcome in the health care system, and we want to partner.”

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