US Measles Cases Near 5,200 Across 45 States as Death Toll Reaches 8
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Nov 6
US Measles Cases Near 5,200 Across 45 States as Death Toll Reaches 8
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Nov 6
Summary
Nearly 5,200 measles cases have been reported this year across 45 states and Washington, D.C., with eight deaths, including a Wisconsin infant in the state's first measles-related death since 1990.
Health officials and physicians link the spread to rising vaccine opt-outs, warning there is no sign the outbreaks are slowing and saying the MMR shot remains the best protection.
Measles is highly contagious: one unvaccinated case can infect up to 18 others, and the virus can linger in the air for as long as two hours after an infected person leaves a room.
Symptoms often begin 7 to 14 days after exposure, starting with cough, runny nose, red eyes and fever above 104F before a head-to-toe rash appears.
Complications can include pneumonia, dehydration, seizures, meningitis and a rare fatal brain disease years later, underscoring why doctors say the outbreak is the worst seen in decades.
Beyond a simple rash, could a childhood measles infection quietly erase your immune system's memory and trigger fatal brain disease years later?
Why is a preventable disease that hasn't caused a fatality in Wisconsin since 1990 suddenly claiming lives and hospitalizing dozens today?
With vaccination rates dropping and a highly contagious virus surging, are standard immunization schedules still enough to protect our most vulnerable infants?