The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed Thursday that the number of U.S. measles cases is 64 as of March 21, more than all of 2023.
By March 26, 2023, there were only seven cases of measles, which grew to a total of 58 cases that year. Twenty states reported cases last year. In 2022, six states reported cases for a total of 120.
This year is proving to be worse as it is more widespread. By March 22 of this year, 17 states, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington reported cases. That number is an increase from nine states since Feb. 9.
One aggravating factor is the admission of unvaccinated immigrants. In Chicago, for example, over 33,000 immigrants arrived from the Texas border thanks to a transportation effort from Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). Chicago hadn’t reported a case of measles since 2019, but as of Friday, the city had 17.
According to the Department of Public Health, the majority of its cases were from the Pilsen shelter on Hasten Street, where immigrants are being housed. Some 4,000 immigrants have received their measles vaccination upon entering the shelter.
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Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes at first and progresses into white spots in the mouth and a bodily red rash. The virus spreads in the air and on surfaces.
Children under the age of 5 are more susceptible to its symptoms and could likely develop pneumonia after the initial infection. Ear infections and diarrhea are also common complications after an infection. Babies tend to receive their first dose of the vaccine between the ages of 1 and 1 1/2. The second dose comes between the ages of 4 and 6.
