USA Measles Spotlight

547 Measles Cases Reported by 18 States

New York counties have reported 381 measles cases
spotlights
(Precision Vaccinations News)

According to various health agencies and news reports, the number of measles cases reported in the USA has reached 547 during the 2018-2019 outbreak.

As of March 30, 2019, the 5 leading measles ‘hot-spots’ are as follows:

  • New York: 381 measles cases have been reported, since October 2018 thru March 27th
  • Washington: 73 measles cases have been reported in Clark County, as of March 27th
  • Michigan: 22 measles cases have been reported in the greater Detroit area, as of March 30th
  • California: 16 measles cases confirmed as of March 27th
  • Texas: 14 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas, as of March 21st

Listed below are the 18 state-based measles updates for the week ending March 30, 2019:

  • Arizona: More cases of measles could soon emerge in Arizona, state officials said after its first case of 2019 in Pima County. Dr. Cara Christ, Arizona Department of Health Services director, said the agency is probing whether the 1-year-old child who contracted the disease exposed others to measles.
  • California: Two measles outbreaks linked to patients with international travel have been reported in California. As of March 27, 2019, 16 confirmed measles cases, including 11 outbreak-associated cases, have been reported.
  • Colorado: One case of measles was confirmed as of February 2019. Pitkin County has a significant number of parents filing “personal” vaccination exemptions, which could set the stage for a measles outbreak, said Karen Koenemann, Pitkin County public health director. 
  • Connecticut: The Connecticut Department of Public Health confirmed 2 measles case during 2019. Unlike other states Connecticut has no legislation seeking to tighten vaccine exemptions, says CT NewsJukie.   
  • Florida: On March 27, 2019, the Florida Department of Health reported 1 measles case in Broward County. The case in Broward was acquired outside of the United States, according to Dr. Paula Thaqi, the director of DOH-Broward. 
  • Georgia: The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed 3 measles cases during 2019.
  • Hawaii: Hawaii confirmed 2 measles cases during 2019.  
  • Illinois: The Illinois Health department confirmed 7 measles cases as of March 30, 2019. Cook County health officials said a person with measles may have infected people in Chicago, Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Niles, and Northbrook.
  • Indiana: The Marion County Health Department is warning residents of possible exposure to measles at 2 Indianapolis businesses. On March 18, the person was at the Microtel Inn & Suites at 5815 Rockville Road on the west side and Shapiro's Delicatessen at 808 S. Meridian St. in Downtown Indianapolis.
  • Kentucky: One case of measles has been confirmed by the Barren River District Health Department during February 2019.
  • Michigan: The measles outbreak in Detroit and in the suburbs of Oak Park, Berkley, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, and Southfield, including at synagogues, Jewish educational institutions, a hospital, and grocery stores and at Bank of America at 45194 Romeo Plank Road. The outbreak has now spread to Oakland, Wayne and Macomb County with 22 confirmed measles cases. The metro Detroit outbreak has been linked to a person who was visiting from Israel.
  • Missouri: On March 13th, 1 measles case was confirmed in eastern Missouri due to out-of-state exposure. It was not confirmed whether the person had been vaccinated. According to the United Health Foundation, Missouri ranked 21st for vaccination rates of children ages 19 months to just under age 3. Missouri allows both medical and religious exemptions but not personal belief exemptions.
  • New Hampshire: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says a person transited through South Station in Boston, MA on February 26, 2019, from about 8:30 pm through midnight, potentially exposed to the measles virus.
  • New Jersey: As of March 28, 2019, a total of 10 confirmed measles cases have been reported in NJ for 2019. The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is working with local health officials to investigate an outbreak of measles associated with Ocean County, declared on March 15. There are currently 8 outbreak-associated cases including 6 in Ocean County residents and 2 in Monmouth County residents. These cases, in addition to 1 highly suspect case, potentially exposed individuals to the infection in NJ between March 9 and March 14. Previously, between October 2018 and January 2019, the NJDOH said a total of 33 outbreak-associated cases were identified, including 30 confirmed cases in Ocean County residents and 3 cases in one Passaic County household.
  • New York City: As of March 27, 2019, there have been 214 confirmed cases of measles in NYC since October 2018. The initial child with measles was unvaccinated and acquired measles on a visit to Israel.
  • Monroe County, NY: The Monroe County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has confirmed a total of 4 lab-confirmed cases of measles in Monroe County and 3 cases that while not lab confirmed to fit the clinical profile of measles, bringing to the total number of measles cases to 7 during 2019.
  • Rockland County, NY: At the end of September 2018, an international traveler arrived in Rockland County with a suspected case of the measles.  As of March 29, 2019, there are 157 confirmed reported cases of measles in Rockland County, NY, during 2019. On March 26th, Rockland County NY declares State of Emergency saying ‘Under-Vaccinated Minors Barred From ‘Public Spaces’ in New York. 
  • Sullivan County, NY: On March 14, 2019, the Sullivan County Public Health Department reported 2 measles cases in residents.  The individuals are considered to have been contagious from March 4 to March 12, 2019. They resided during this time primarily in Sullivan County but did spend time in and travel to Brooklyn, where there is an ongoing measles outbreak. There are no known exposures to Sullivan County residents at this time.
  • Westchester County, NY: The Westchester County Health Department was notified that 1 Monroe College student has been diagnosed with measles. The student, who is a resident of New York City, had traveled to the College’s New Rochelle campus.
  • Oregon: As of March 22nd there have been 6 confirmed measles cases in Multnomah, and 10 total cases in Oregon during 2019. This outbreak is unrelated to a large outbreak that began in Clark County, Wash. in January.
  • Texas: As of March 21, 2019, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed 14 measles cases, and has issued a health alert reminding healthcare providers to consider measles when diagnoses patients.
  • Washington: As of March 22, 2019, Clark County Public Health has confirmed 73 measles cases during 2019. To date, the majority of lab-confirmed measles cases have matched a wild strain of virus circulating in Eastern Europe. 

NOTE: State-based data are subject to report timing and transparency.  

Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 314 measles cases in 15 states, between January 1 and March 21, 2019.

Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, says the CDC.

Recent measles news:

In the USA, there are 2 approved measles vaccines, MMR-II and ProQuad, which are available from most pharmacies.

Recently, a study published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society concluded saying, ‘if licensed, the Priorix / MMR-RIT vaccine could provide a valid option for the prevention of measles, mumps, and rubella in children, 12-to 15-months-old in the United States.’

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides private sector vaccine prices for general information.

And, measles vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, similar to medications, can cause side effects, says the CDC. Significant vaccine side effects should be reported to the CDC.

 

Our Trust Standards: Medical Advisory Committee

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