Search Here

The World Health Organization fact sheet considers measles as one of the leading causes of death among children despite the availability of safe and cost-effective vaccines. Although the disease has been declared eliminated and no longer endemic in the United States, the recent measles outbreak in Minnesota is a cause for alarm.

Officials from the Minnesota Department of Health have confirmed that as of April 14, there are eight confirmed cases in this recent measles outbreak. They are still in the process of tracing how the children between ages one to four were exposed to the disease. Seven of the children come from the Somali-American community and all of the affected children are unvaccinated, Pioneer Press reported.

Measles has been declared eliminated in the United States in the year 2000. However little pockets in the US still have outbreaks over the years because unvaccinated individuals come in contact with infected people who are from countries where measles is still prevalent. The most glaring example of this kind of transmission was the measles outbreak in 2014 that was traced back to infection from exposure to the virus in Disneyland.

The Europe is also battling the disease in several countries despite being declared eradicated in 24 countries on the continent. The outbreak in Australia has already 22 confirmed and the National Centre for Immunizations and Research Surveillance (NCIRS) has already issued outbreak warnings. NCIRS warn that the symptoms can take ten to fourteen days after infection and the most distinctive sign is the rash coupled with fever, dry cough, runny nose, and red and bluish spots in the mouth, ABC reported.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) explains that measles can re-establish itself in the US continent if the vaccinations against the disease drops. The CDC still maintains that the most effective way to prevent the disease is through vaccination and you can consider yourself protected after getting two scheduled doses of the measles vaccine.

The vaccine is considered very effective with a 97% success rate with two shots and 93% for exposure to the virus after one shot. The vaccine shots can protect you for life without ever worrying about getting booster shots later.