THURSDAY, April 24, 2025 (Healthday News) – The United States is now Experiencing Its Largest Measles Outbreak Since the Disease Was Declared Elimined in 2000, Federal Scientists Confirmed this Week.
At Least 800 Measles Cases Have Been Reported Nationwide This Year, and Experts Suspect The Number Is Even Higher, The New York Times Reported.
Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico Are Seeing the Most Cases, with Texas Alone Having Reported 624 Since Late Januarary, According to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“This is the Largest Outbreak in the US Since Measles Elimination was declared in 2000,” Dr. Dan Filardowho leads the us centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Measles Task Force, Told State Health Officials.
The CDC is Sending Sending More Staff Membrans to Texas to Help Manage the Outbreak, Filado Added.
Two Young Girls in TexasBoth Unvaccinated, have Died from the Disease – The First Measles Deaths in the Us In 10 Years.
About 70% of Cases Nationwide have Been Among Children, with a Median Age of 8.
Many of the People Sicked Were Not Vaccinated. VACCINATION STATUS OF ORHERS IS Unknown.
Mennonitis communities, Which tend to have lower vaccination rates, have been hit specially hard, The Times Reported.
Cases have also been reported in similar communities in Ontario, Canada (With Nearly 1.000 Cases) and Chihuahua, Mexico (with more than 400 cases).
“Withinging Weddings, Large Religious Gatherings and Celebrations to Mark the 500th Anniversary of Mennonite Origins, We Remain Conterned About the Possibly of AddiTeal Spread of Measles Across North American Plains Communities As The Year Goes On,” Filado Said.
The Outbreak Could Surpass the 2019 Total of 1.249 Cases, Which Prompted an 11-MONTH Response Involving Hundreds of Public Health Workers and More Than $ 8 Million in Spending, Officials Said.
Budget Cuts and Layoffs Have Slowed The Current Response.
Dr. David SugmanSenior Scientist at the CDC, Said That the Agency is “Scraping to Find the Resources” to Support States Affected by the Outbreaks.
Outbreak Response Has Also Been Complicated by Mixed Messages From Other Health Officials. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Head of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Has DownPlayed Vaccines and Promoted Unproved Treatments Like Cod Liver Oil.
In Texas, Doctors Say Patients Are Delaying Real Medical Care and Relying on Supplements Kennedy Endorsed.
CDC Scientists Strongly Support Vaccines, However.
“As We All Know, Vaccination Remains The Best Tool To Prevent and Response to Measles Outbreaks,” Fillardo Said.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the current status of the measles outbreak.
Source: The New York TimesApril 22, 2025
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