For a long period of time, cases of measles decreased all around the world thanks to the higher access to medical vaccines and awareness of the disease.
But last year, there were 118 reported cases of measles in America alone – and that number is expected to rise this year.
As of now, over 100 cases of measles have been diagnosed and reported in 2018. This has led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to maintain watch over the outbreaks occurring in 21 states all across the country, as well as in the District of Columbia.
The 21 affected states are Washington, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, Louisiana, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, California, and Arkansas.
Measles, otherwise known as rubeola, is an infection that attacks children. The virus used to be extremely common, but thanks to vaccinations, it is now no longer a regular occurrence.
It is a very serious disease that can prove fatal for younger children.
Although the rate of death of kids to this disease is significantly lower than it has been in past decades due to vaccines, it continues to take over 100,000 lives per year – a majority of which involve children younger than 5.
From the year 2000 to 2010, the US had an average of approximately 60 cases per year of this disease, though in recent years that number has leaped up to 205.
Many of these cases are contracted from outside of the country in unvaccinated individuals or those who were unsure as to whether or not they have been vaccinated.
Measles is contagious and spreads through sneezing and coughing, which releases the virus into the air.
Symptoms will appear approximately 10 to 14 days post-infection, as the virus incubates during the first week or two.
The first symptoms you may notice are a mild fever, runny nose, conjunctivitis, a dry cough, and a sore throat, and these early symptoms last for a couple of days.
More severe symptoms will surface after, namely rashes consisting of small red spots that create a flat, blotchy appearance and often are accompanied by small white spots within the mouth.
The aforementioned rash will quickly spread throughout the body.
The measles virus is infectious from the patient from four days before the rash appears up till four days after it appears.
Although most symptoms will disappear on their own without any treatment, about one or two children in 1,000 will pass away from measles complications. When pneumonia develops from measles, the risk of fatality is much higher.
Right now, the worst outbreak occurring in the United States is happening in Texas, and doctors advise that guardians to young children exercise care and caution – largely due to the back-to-school season and the restarting of school.
Those who are not vaccinated have a very high risk of contracting this highly contagious virus.
Although vaccination is a very controversial topic in America right now, doctors would like to urge guardians to be able to vaccinate their children quickly if they have not done so already to avoid contraction of the virus.
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