More Measles Cases Recorded in the U.S.

More cases of measles have been recorded in the United States in recent years, according to data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 349 cases recorded for the year 2018 are the second highest number of annual cases after measles had been declared eliminated in the United States in the year 2000. Only 2014 saw more cases, with 667 recorded.

Despite the disease making a comeback, vaccination rates in children have remained relatively stable, with some states showing a below-average performance. Many of these states are located in the American West or Southwest: Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Montana and also Washington, where a recent measles outbreak made headlines. Yet, average numbers don’t always reveal if vulnerable pockets of unvaccinated people exist in a state.

2018 saw a total of 17 measles outbreaks in the U. S. (defined as three or more linked cases). In the past year, major outbreaks occurred in New York and New Jersey and were tied to unvaccinated Orthodox Jews contracting the disease during travels to Israel. Generally, major outbreaks that contribute to overall measles numbers significantly are often linked to these pockets of unvaccinated people, for example religious groups or close-knit minority communities. Out of the unusually high number of 667 cases in 2014, about half occurred in an Amish community in Ohio.

A lot of smaller outbreaks occur when people bring the disease back from their travels. Larger multicultural cities like New York are therefore also experiencing many cases of measles every year.