U.S. Measles Cases Surge, Raising Concerns of Wider Disease Resurgence
The United States is facing a significant increase in measles cases, with 1,798 confirmed infections reported in 42 states as of Wednesday, prompting health officials to warn of a potential resurgence of other preventable diseases. Tragically, three deaths have been linked to the outbreak – an adult in New Mexico and two young girls in Texas.
The current surge is raising alarm among public health experts, especially as Canada recently lost its measles elimination status. The U.S.could follow suit if ongoing cases are traced back to an outbreak that began in Texas in January. Preliminary genetic analysis indicates that nearly all samples from the initial Texas cases are the D8 genotype of measles, according to a CDC report published in April.
The D8 genotype has since been detected in a growing outbreak in South Carolina, where 58 cases have been reported, primarily in Spartanburg County.”Preliminary results from specimens sent from South Carolina to CDC labs are the same type, D8, that is seen in other settings in the United States,” stated Dr. Linda Bell, state epidemiologist for the South Carolina Department of Public Health, during a news briefing Tuesday. Further genetic sequencing is underway to confirm a definitive link between the Texas and South Carolina outbreaks, with results expected in the coming weeks.
Outbreaks are also escalating along the Arizona-Utah border. arizona’s Department of Health Services reported 153 cases this week, concentrated in Mohave County, while Utah has recorded 102 cases. While most Utah cases are linked to the border cluster, infections are also increasing near Salt Lake City, including eight confirmed cases among students at Wasatch High School, as reported by NBC affiliate KSL.
