US measles cases at highest level since disease was declared eliminated
The 'eliminated' status is given when there has not been a continuous spread of a disease for more than a year. Measles cases in the U.S. were at their highest since 1992 when they totaled 2,126, according to CDC data.
The Department of Health & Human Services, which oversees the CDC, said the risk of measles infection is low for the overall U.S. population, but higher in communities with low vaccination rates in areas with active measles outbreaks.
Outbreaks this year have primarily been driven by a drop in vaccination rates, particularly among children in states such as Texas and New Mexico, where coverage has fallen well below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity.
The CDC continues to provide technical assistance, laboratory support and vaccines in response to the outbreaks, HHS said.
"The U.S. is at risk of losing its measles elimination status should cases continue at this rate," said William Moss, a pediatrician at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The country surpassed 1,000 measles cases in May. Although the spread of infection has slowed since then, it has reached surrounding states.
"It is true that the slope of the curve has flattened somewhat... but its hard to predict what patterns will play out," Moss said.
Experts have urged public health officials to provide urgent endorsements for highly effective vaccines. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective after two doses, according to the CDC.
"CDC continues to recommend MMR vaccines as the best way to protect against measles," HHS said.
Disinformation, particularly around the safety of the measles vaccine, has also undermined confidence.
Parallel data from Johns Hopkins University's outbreak response center, published on Friday, had also showed that measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed the previous high of 1,274 in 2019.
(This story has been corrected to update the headline to include the word 'disease' and say measles cases in the US were at their highest since 1992, not in 1992, in paragraph 2)
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