The number of measles cases in the United States has reached a new historic peak over the last three and a half decades, according to the latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Statistics show that by the end of June, health authorities had verified 2,318 infections, surpassing the 2,289 cases recorded last year, when two unimmunized minors lost their lives to the disease.
This escalation of infections coincides with a period where vaccine skepticism has deepened significantly in the U.S., resulting in declining immunization rates. American experts advise administering two doses of the vaccine for the one-to-six age group, which provide 97% protection against the pathogen.
In November, a special committee will examine whether the United States risks losing its certification as a country that has eliminated measles, a status Canada lost a year ago. As the BBC explains, this classification is lost after a period of at least one year with continuous transmission of the same viral variant.
Data reveals that within the last 18 months, the U.S. has documented more infections than during the previous 25 years combined.
Last year, an outbreak in a Mennonite community in Texas proved fatal for two unvaccinated children, as well as for an unimmunized adult in the neighboring state of New Mexico.
In just the past month, Virginia and Pennsylvania have announced fresh outbreaks of the disease, while Utah continues to battle a significant number of cases originating from last year. About 45 states have reported infection data.
The measles virus, distinguished by a characteristic skin rash, affected millions of children every year before the vaccine was discovered. It is characterized by a high level of contagiousness and can be deadly. Some of those infected may experience long-term consequences, including encephalitis and immune amnesia, which resets the body’s defense system to its initial stage, making the organism more vulnerable to future infections.
