Measles is spreading fast again in the United States. Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in New York State to contain it, and cases are climbing quickly in several other states. Daily Janakantha's international desk reported the story.
According to the state health department, more than 100 people in New York have been diagnosed with measles so far this year, a few of them in New York City, with infection more widespread in rural areas. To cope, several more categories of trained health workers, besides doctors and nurses, have been allowed to give measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and rapid testing of suspected cases is being stepped up.
Outside New York the picture is worse. Pennsylvania has passed 1,000 cases, found in dozens of counties; many patients have needed hospital care and there have been deaths. Measles has also spread in Texas, Utah, Ohio, South Carolina and other states.
Health experts say that when at least 95 per cent of a community is vaccinated, the risk of measles spreading widely falls sharply. Vaccination rates have dropped in parts of the country, weakening that protection, and misinformation and reluctance about vaccines are seen as major causes.
The United States declared local measles transmission eliminated in 2000. The disease has come back in recent years, and this year is the worst in decades. Health officials say rapid detection, isolating patients and raising vaccination rates are the only way forward.
Photo: Pete Lewis / UK Department for International Development (DFID) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Source: Daily Janakantha
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