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In the United States, a public health emergency shows no signs of slowing down.
As of February 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had counted 101 measles cases in 10 states. At least half of these cases have been reported in the northwestern Pacific.
The outbreak began on Jan. 22 when the Clark County Public Health Department in Washington State announced that at least 23 people had the viral disease, which was about a week or two before cause fever, coughing, runny nose and small red bumps that burst on the face and body. There are now at least 50 people with measles in Clark County.
Many accuse anti-vaxxers of being at the origin of the measles epidemic
While the number of measles cases continues to increase, many public health experts attribute the epidemic to anti-vaxxers. In Washington, 43 of the 50 cases involved people who did not receive the measles vaccine.
Read more: Measles cases rose 30% last year due to "gaps" in immunization coverage, and experts say it's "deeply worrying"
The high percentage of unvaccinated measles patients may result from Washington's immunization exemptions. According to the National Vaccine Information Center (VNIC), Washington is one of 17 states that allow philosophical waivers of vaccines, which are granted to people who have conscientious objections to one or more shots.
These 17 states also provide for medical exemptions and religious exemptions, which are aimed at people who have such strong religious belief that "if the state imposed the vaccination, it would violate their constitutional right to exercise their religious beliefs. ".
The following map details vaccine exemption rules across the United States, using CINV data.
Vaccine exemptions all 4×3 states
The 10 states reporting measles cases are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Four of these states, Colorado, Oregon, Texas and Washington, provide for philosophical exemptions.
Other states with similar exemption rules are Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin.
Read more: From autism risk to mercury intoxication, here are 10 anti-vaxxer lies about measles vaccine in the Pacific Northwest
Most other states, as well as the District of Columbia, allow religious exemptions. California, Mississippi and West Virginia are the only three states that allow medical exemptions.
Even if you receive vaccines, you can still be infected
Receiving a vaccine does not guarantee immunity. A comprehensive treatment of measles vaccine with two doses is effective at approximately 97% against measles, while a single dose is effective at 93%. (At least one person who received a single dose of measles vaccine in Washington became ill.)
However, vaccinations can increase the group's immunity, a scenario in which enough people get vaccines so that it is difficult for a virus to spread in a community. This provides protection for people who can not get vaccinated for health reasons, such as HIV or cancer.
Hilary Brueck contributed to the reporting of this story.
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