A measles outbreak in central Ohio has now infected 82 children – 32 have been hospitalized – as experts fear a resurgence in the once-defeated virus.
Officials in Columbus, Ohio, the state’s largest city, confirmed the infections and report that 74 of the infected children are not vaccinated against measles — and four are only partially vaccinated. Almost all infected are under five years old.
Once one of the deadliest infections in the world, deaths from measles have declined significantly since an effective vaccine was introduced in 1968. In 2000, the US considered it eradicated as an endemic infection.
However, the Covid pandemic has reduced vaccination rates worldwide. Experts fear this drop in immunity will result in these once-conquered viruses returning to developed countries. Earlier this year, New York City recorded the first confirmed case of polio in the United States in over a decade.
Officials in central Ohio have recorded 82 cases of measles this year, 32 of which required hospitalization. No deaths have been linked to this outbreak
A large majority of these cases involve unvaccinated children, with 90 percent not receiving a vaccine and 5 percent only partially vaccinated
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Columbus first confirmed the measles outbreak in November – when there were 24 cases.
At this point, investigators have linked the outbreak to nine daycare centers and two children’s hospitals in the area.
In its latest update Tuesday morning, the city is now reporting 82 cases in both Columbus itself and the surrounding areas.
Just under half, 32, of the cases required hospitalization. No deaths have yet been linked to the outbreak.
The CDC estimates that measles kills 130,000 people worldwide each year, although deaths in the states are rare. Up to two in 1,000 infected die.
“We are diligently working on the cases to identify potential exposures and to notify exposed individuals,” said Dr. Columbus Public Health Commissioner Mysheika Roberts in a statement Nov. 9.
“The most important thing you can do to protect yourself from measles is get vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is safe and highly effective.”
The MMR vaccine is a three-in-one vaccine that protects against three potentially fatal diseases – measles, mumps and rubella.
A child should have their first vaccination between the ages of 12 and 15 months. The first shot alone is 93 percent effective against infection.
They are said to be given a second dose between the ages of four and six, taking their protection from the virus to 97 percent.
However, many of the infected children did not receive the vaccine, leaving them vulnerable to the disease.
A majority of the children infected in this outbreak are under the age of two, officials report
“Measles is both highly contagious and preventable,” said Franklin County health commissioner Joe Mazzola, which includes Columbus.
“It can be a serious disease, so we strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated to get vaccinated to prevent further spread.”
So far, this outbreak has mainly affected small children. Officials report 23 infections in children under a year old and 36 in children aged one or two years.
The CDC issues an “urgent” Strep A alert as the infection continues to spread across the US
Top US officials issued an alert about a Strep A outbreak spreading across America – a sign officials are concerned the bacterial infection will continue to rise in the coming months.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the urgent advisory message Thursday, updating doctors and health officials of the situation.
America has suffered two confirmed strep deaths as part of this outbreak, both in Denver, Colorado. Doctors at hospitals in at least six states have reported anecdotally that cases of the infection have increased this year.
The CDC doesn’t track Strep A nationally, so it’s impossible to know daily case counts. Across the pond, 21 children have died from the disease in the UK – and US officials fear this outbreak will reach the same proportions in the US.
Only five of the cases involve children over the age of six. No infections have been reported in adults to date.
The first symptoms of measles often appear a week after a person is infected.
A sick person often suffers from high fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes.
In the days that follow, the virus causes a rash that can spread down a person’s face, neck, arms, legs, and feet.
Unlike many other skin rashes, the spots caused by measles are not usually painful or itchy.
An infected person may also experience the development of tiny white spots. Young children, immunocompromised and the elderly are most at risk.
Measles first gained prominence in the United States in the early 1900s when federal officials declared it a nationally reportable disease in 1912.
The virus killed about 6,000 Americans each year before scientists first developed a vaccine in 1963.
Since then, measles rates have skyrocketed in the US, and successful vaccination campaigns have all but eliminated it as a regular threat to Americans.
In 2000, US officials declared the virus eliminated from the US population.
However, it occasionally occurs in America. While 90 percent of the population is vaccinated by the age of two, the remaining unvaccinated individuals are at risk, according to CDC reports.
In 2019, the nation was hit by the largest measles outbreak in decades, with 1,274 confirmed infections in 31 states.
This outbreak could be linked to COVID-19 lockdowns and other pandemic measures that have disrupted medical treatment for the past two years.
The World Health Organization warned in July that the pandemic had prompted a global “backlog” in vaccinations around the world.
Officials now fear rare but dangerous viruses like measles could be making a resurgence around the world.
In the summer, the US recorded its first polio case outside of New York City in over a decade.
While only one case was confirmed, sewage data shows there were likely thousands others that went undetected.
Some have also warned that the anti-vaccination movement spurred by the backlash against the Covid vaccines has also left many young children vulnerable.