Measles Outbreaks Are Increasingly Common. Here's What You Need to Know.

"Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Measles. Measles, measles, measles! After decades of not having to worry much about the most contagious virus on record, it suddenly seems to be everywhere. The outbreak in South Carolina is nearing 1,000 cases, overtaking last year's largest outbreak, in Texas, which ended in August with 762 cases. Twenty states are currently reporting infections. Canada recently lost its measles elimination status."

"I've never had to worry about measles before. Is it really that big of a deal? Before the development of a vaccine, measles was a huge public health issue. Almost every kid would get infected. Nearly 50,000 people were hospitalized every year. Hundreds died. It took huge coordinated public health efforts to get to the point where we "eliminated" measles in the U.S., which finally happened in 2000."

Measles outbreaks are resurging across the U.S. and Canada, with South Carolina nearing 1,000 cases and twenty states reporting infections. A recent U.S. outbreak exceeded last year’s largest Texas outbreak of 762 cases. Canada recently lost measles elimination status. The White House has suggested breaking the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, a change with no clear health benefits and potential to lower overall vaccination rates. Before vaccination, measles routinely infected nearly every child, hospitalized about 50,000 people annually, and caused hundreds of deaths. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but cases continue yearly and 20 percent of unvaccinated infected people are hospitalized, with some suffering lifelong complications. Public health experts are concerned about large, rapidly expanding outbreaks.

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