Measles Outbreak Spreads to 15 States, Largest in 10 Years
A measles outbreak has sickened more than 120 people in 15 states – making it the biggest outbreak in the U.S. in more than 10 years, Reuters is reporting.
According to federal health officials, most of the victims were not vaccinated against the highly contagious virus.
In a statement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak has been traced to travelers who became sick overseas, returned to the U.S. and infected others.
The news comes on the heels of public health officials stressing the importance of immunizing children.
"With the whole debate about vaccines — and now parents due to their personal beliefs not vaccinating their children — what we are seeing now is that we are going to have these epidemic outbreaks throughout the country," said Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing editor of health at FOXNews.com.
"If this continues, we will see outbreaks throughout the entire developed world — something we have never seen before," he added.
Last month, British health officials said measles had again become an epidemic in that country for the first time since the mid-1990s due to parents not getting their kids vaccinated.
"Until better global control is achieved, cases will continue to be imported into the United States and outbreaks will persist as long as there are communities of unvaccinated people," the CDC's Dr. Larry Pickering told a news conference.
Measles is caused by a virus that normally grows in cells that line the back of the throat and the lungs.
"This is a very contagious disease," Alvarez said. "It's very difficult to eradicate once you have it."
Typical symptoms include:
— Coughing
— Runny nose
— High Fever
— Rash (which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body)
— Coughing
— Runny nose
— High Fever
— Rash (which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body)
Measles remains a leading cause of death among children in poor countries.
"What you have to remember is that 250,000 children die from this virus every year," Alvarez added. "So, vaccinations have to be a priority for parents because at the end of the day if you get measles, you can live through it, but in some particular cases, you're going to have complications."
About 1 and 5 measles sufferers experience more severe illness, which can include diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, chronic neurological deficits and even death.
Details of the outbreak first surfaced in May when more than 70 people came down with the virus in nearly a dozen states.
Details of the outbreak first surfaced in May when more than 70 people came down with the virus in nearly a dozen states.
States with cases now include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington state, as well as Washington, D.C., according to the CDC.
This latest outbreak comes eight years after the virus was declared practically dead in the U.S., thanks to a vaccination program that began in the 1960s.
Original Source : http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,379388,00.html
