Nationwide Highlights:
· The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on March 6th there are a total of 222 cases in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington:
o 45% of the people infected are between five to 19 years old.
o 94% of the people infected are unvaccinated.
o 17% of the patients have been hospitalized.
· The American Academy of Pediatrics advised the public on March 4th that Vitamin A, at any dose, does not protect against measles and/or prevent measles:
o Vitamin A is a micronutrient, meaning very small amounts are all people need to stay healthy and normally get it through a healthy diet and in recommended doses of over-the-counter multivitamin supplements.
o Larger doses of vitamin A given over prolonged periods are very dangerous and can lead to vomiting, blurry vision, headaches, and, when more severe, liver damage and coma.
o It is recommended, that under a doctor's supervision, children infected with measles be given vitamin A once a day for two days to reduce the severity of the illness.
· On March 11th, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported that misinformation is spreading online that disregards the severity of the measles virus:
o About one in five unvaccinated people will require hospitalization and some children will develop severe complications including pneumonia and swelling in the brain that can be deadly.
o To avoid severe complications from measles, parents can get their children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine which is safe and very effective at preventing the virus.
Texas Highlights:
· As of March 11th, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reporting 223 cases:
o 29 patients have been hospitalized.
o Gaines County is still reporting the highest number of cases (156 cases).
o 80 patients are confirmed to be unvaccinated.
o 138 cases have an unknown vaccination status. Vaccination status is classified as unknown when the case investigation is still ongoing or when the person does not know if they were ever vaccinated.
New Mexico Highlights:
· There are currently 33 cases as of March 11th:
o 27 cases are unvaccinated.
o Most of the cases are in Kea County (32 cases).
o One person has died in Lea County.
· Starting on March 11th, the New Mexico Department of Health is opening vaccination clinics throughout the State. These clinics are scheduled until April 30th.
Oklahoma Highlights:
· The Oklahoma Department of Health reported on March 11th that they have two probable cases:
o The individuals were recently exposed to the cases in Texas and New Mexico and were experiencing symptoms.
o Upon realizing that they were exposed these individuals immediately excluded themselves from public settings and stayed home throughout their contagious period.
Sources:
· CDC Measles Cases and Outbreaks Website
· New Mexico Measles Resource Hub
· CDC Twitter Page
· Texas Department of State Health Services Twitter Page
· New Mexico Department of Health Twitter Page
· Oklahoma Department of Health Twitter Page
· American Academy of Pediatrics Facebook Page
Resources
Expanding Measles Outbreak in the United States and Guidance for the Upcoming Travel Season (New)