Measles has been declared gone for years, but new cases might change that

A surge in measles cases is threatening the US

The seemingly forgotten disease might come back despite being declared gone for over twenty years. A surge of cases in the US and other countries might change the disease's elimination status. Cases in 2024 are drastically outpacing previous years.

This surge in cases might alter the status of Measeks, which has been the same since 2000. The US experienced 338 reported cases of the disease between January first, 2020, and March 28th, 2024. These CDC reports also reflect that around one-third of these cases occurred during the first quarter of 2024.

This represents a 17-fold increase over the average number of cases reported during the same time period between 2020 and 2023. Measles is a viral infection that interferes with the respiratory system and causes a distinct rash. It is highly contagious and can affect the body more than the respiratory system if untreated for a long time^[1].

Elimination status is a particular designation given only after an extensive period of time, and once certain conditions related to the transmission of the disease are met. If these numbers rise, this might change soon.

Growing numbers might create a crisis after two decades

The United States said in 2000 that they had gotten rid of measles cases, but now more cases are happening, which might mess up the public health plans from the last 20 years. Fewer and fewer people are getting measles shots. Susan Hassig, who knows a lot about public health from Tulane University, said that the report from the CDC is a big signal that we need to think more about getting measles shots.

Adria D. Mathis, who helped write the report and works at the CDC, said, "Most people in the US still have a low risk of getting measles, but it’s super important that we do stuff now to stop measles from spreading more and keep it gone from the US." Hassig did not helped with the CDC report.

The CDC's report reported 338 cases of measles. Most of these happened to people who either didn’t get the measles shot or weren’t sure if they got it. Together, these two groups made up 91% of all the cases. Specifically, 68% were from people who didn’t get the shot, and 29% were from those who weren’t sure if they got it^[2].

Only 9% of measles cases were from someone who got the MMR vaccine. However, in 84% of cases, the person could have gotten the vaccine. Adria D. Mathis from the CDC said, "Almost all cases were in people who didn’t get the shot or weren’t sure if they did. This shows we need to work harder to get more people vaccinated, especially in communities where people are close and may not have gotten the shot."

Apart from vaccination, traveling to other countries was a big reason for measles cases in the US. Almost all the cases (96%) were because of traveling or being around someone who traveled recently. This shows how important it is for people traveling abroad to get vaccinated.

Most of the measles cases came from Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the CDC.

In the UK, parents get worried as cases across the country soar

Measles reoccurring seems not to be a problem in the US anymore. Even though the number of cases in the US can change the elimination status and is more significant than in other parts of the world, this disease seems to spread outside the borders, too.

The parents of a five-month-old baby girl who was left struggling to breathe after contracting measles have described her "scary" ordeal as the number of cases soars. England is facing a measles emergency, with 86 confirmed cases over the past week, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)^[3].

It brings the total number of measles cases recorded so far this year to almost 900 - a sharp increase from 368 cases in all of 2023. About two-thirds of those affected are under the age of 10.

Health workers in the UK say the current outbreak, which started in the West Midlands last year, has now spread to every region of the country. London has become the latest hotspot, and five-month-old Margot House is among those who have recently contracted the highly contagious disease.

The mother, Georgia House, told Sky News: "It's really scary because I was holding my little baby, she was struggling to breathe, and she looked god-awful. She had rashes on her tummy, behind her neck, and going up her head."

The main symptoms of measles are high fever, sore and red eyes, watery eyes, sneezing, rash, and coughing. The rash is one distinct feature that appears after the initial symptoms occur. Vaccinations in the UK were introduced in 1968, and the disease has not occurred until now.

Healthcare providers in these countries that experience new cases should prepare for the outbreak and be able to offer any needed vaccinations. However, other parts of the world might also need to rethink their protocols regarding measles.