Where Are We Seeing Community Spread of Measles in the United States?
Get vaccinated if you live in or are traveling to these areas!
While you once had to travel out of the country to be exposed to someone with measles, there are now many places inside the United States that will put you at risk for exposure. These are places where we are already seeing community spread of measles.
Wait, what does that mean — community spread of measles?
Community Spread of Measles
Well, once the endemic spread of measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000, almost all cases could be traced to international travel.
“The resurgence in measles cases is all the more frustrating since the disease is entirely preventable through vaccination. Measles has all the components of an eradicable disease: there is a safe and highly effective vaccine, it has a readily diagnosable clinical syndrome, and it has no animal reservoir to maintain circulation.”
Measles in 2019 — Going Backward
We still had some measles here, but it was either because someone was exposed to a person with measles when they traveled out of the country or a sick traveler came here.
“A child in northwest Harris County who had no recent travel history tested positive for measles, health officials said Thursday.”
Northwest Harris County child with no travel history tests positive for measles
As measles cases grow though, as we are seeing now, it becomes more likely that you can be exposed anywhere, even on a trip to the grocery store, on a bus, at daycare or school, or on a play date with a friend, etc.
That’s what happens when measles is spreading in your community.
Where Are We Seeing Community Spread of Measles in the United States?
Fortunately, while we are reaching record numbers of measles cases this year, the states and counties with community spread are still limited.
They include:
10 counties in west Texas — including Cochran, Dallam, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, Lynn, Lamar, Lubbock, Terry, and Yoakum - (why not El Paso County???)
2 counties in New Mexico — including Lea County and Dona Ana County
8 counties in southwest Kansas — including Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton, and Stevens County
Williams County, North Dakota
Faulkner County, Arkansas and surrounding counties, including Cleburne, Conway, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, Van Buren and White
These are areas with ongoing measles outbreaks.
You want to be certain that you are well protected if you visit or live in these areas.
That means an early dose of MMR for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and to confirm that all children are vaccinated and protected.
Which areas are missing?
There don’t seem to be calls for early doses of MMR in El Paso County, Texas.
What Are the Consequences of Community Spread of Measles?
So what does all of this mean?
Besides more measles…
It means that more risk for those who are too young to be vaccinated, those who can’t be vaccinated because they have true medical exemptions, and for those whose vaccine didn’t work.
It means that some people are losing their choice to live safe from measles and other vaccine preventable diseases in their own communities.
References
Paules CI, Marston HD, Fauci AS. Measles in 2019 - Going Backward. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jun 6;380(23):2185-2187. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp1905099. Epub 2019 Apr 17. PMID: 30995368.
Northwest Harris County child with no travel history tests positive for measles https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/measles-child-harris-county-positive-test-20257814.php
Dangers of measles on children with cancer highlighted in New Zealand https://measlesrubellapartnership.org/dangers-of-measles-on-children-with-cancer-highlighted-in-new-zealand/
Measles and Cancer: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe https://www.cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/measles-and-cancer-what-you-need-to-know-to-stay-safe.html