WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory due to the rise in the number of measles cases in the U.S. and abroad.
The alert stated, 'From January 1 to March 14, 2024, CDC has been notified of 58 confirmed U.S. cases of measles across 17 jurisdictions, including seven outbreaks in seven jurisdictions compared to 58 total cases and four outbreaks reported the entire year in 2023.'
The agency noted that among the 58 cases reported so far in 2024, 54 were linked to international travel due to similar outbreaks in Austria, the Philippines, Romania, and the United Kingdom.
The CDC describes measles as a 'highly contagious viral illness' that 'can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis or inflammation of the brain, and death, especially in unvaccinated persons.'
The health regulator urged the healthcare providers and early childhood education providers to make sure that students receive measles, mumps and rubella or MMR vaccines, as most of the cases reported this year have been among unvaccinated children aged 12 months and older.
According to CDC, a full two-dose MMR vaccination proves to be 97 percent effective against measles. It also noted that 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people have a higher chance of coming down with measles.
'To prevent measles infection and reduce the risk of community transmission from importation, all U.S. residents traveling internationally, regardless of destination, should be current on their MMR vaccinations,' the agency advised.
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