WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The recent rise in measles cases across the nation during the first quarter of 2024 'represents a renewed threat to the U.S. elimination status,' according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
As of April 4, 113 measles cases have been reported across 18 states in the U.S. Experts believe that the lack of vaccinations and an uptick in international travel after the pandemic have spiked the cases.
The agency noted that about a third of all U.S. measles cases in the past four years happened during a three-month stretch in 2024, indicating the need to take strict measures to curb the rise in cases and prevent further transmission within the nation.
According to the report, around 90 percent of the recent cases were documented in patients who weren't vaccinated or those for whom vaccination status was unknown.
It further stated that most of the cases were introduced by people traveling from Eastern Mediterranean and African regions to the U.S., but the report also noted that the imported cases might be under-reported.
The localized outbreaks at a children's hospital and daycare center in Philadelphia, an elementary school in Florida and at a migrant shelter in Chicago also contributed to the increase in the total measles cases.
The CDC's report urged healthcare officials to expand vaccination coverage, especially among young children before international travel and people with low immunity, as earlier vaccination has helped in eliminating measles from the U.S. in 2000.
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