Measles continues to spread among unvaccinated populations
Montana has reported its first measles cases since the 1990s as incidence of the virus rises across the United States.
As of mid-April, public health officials have reported upwards of 800 measles cases in the United States, according to a news article from the Associated Press. Five of those cases have taken place in Montana, where health officials are working to determine the source of the infection. All five of the patients were unvaccinated and traveled outside of the state.
Among the eight other states with measles cases were Texas (597 cases), where the outbreak began in January; New Mexico (63 cases); Kansas (37 cases); Ohio (30 cases); Oklahoma (12 cases); Pennsylvania (nine cases); Indiana (eight cases) and Michigan (three cases). Two unvaccinated children and one unvaccinated adult have died from the infection. Cases have also been identified in17 other states as well as in Canada and Mexico.
Experts cited in the article detailed that measles is transmitted through breathing, sneezing or coughing. They emphasized that the best defense against the virus is to receive two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — which has proved highly effective at preventing its spread. Individuals who received a measles vaccine prior to 1968 were advised to receive an updated dose.
Read more: Associated Press
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