Measles cases in the United States surpass 1,000 for 2019

The number of measles cases confirmed in the United States in 2019 has reached 1,001, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last week, the total for 2019 had already reached its highest level since 1992, when 2237 cases of infectious disease were reported.

"The Department of Health and Human Services has been deeply committed to promoting the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, among worrying signs showing that there are pockets of under-vaccination in the country said Secretary of Health and Social Services Alex Azar on Thursday.
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Azar has reinforced the importance of vaccines in the fight against the epidemic.

"We can not say enough: vaccines are a safe and extremely effective public health tool that can prevent this disease and put an end to the current outbreak." I encourage all Americans to talk to your doctor about recommended vaccines to protect yourself and your family against your measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, "he said.

Measles is very contagious. The disease is usually spread by sneezing and coughing. He can stay in the air for two hours.

Cases have been reported in more than half of the US states. New York had the highest total, with nearly 700 cases reported this year.

Most of these cases occurred in Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn and Queens, where vaccination rates are low. The New York City Department of Health said that as of Monday, 566 cases had been confirmed in these areas since September.

Clark County, Washington, reported the second largest epidemic in the United States this year, with more than 70 reported cases.

According to the CDC, outbreaks in New York and Rockland County, New York, threaten to cancel the status of the nation that has officially eliminated measles.

"This loss would be a blow to the country and erase the hard work of all levels of public health.The goal of eliminating measles, first announced in 1966 and achieved in 2000, was a monumental task, "said the CDC in May press release.

"Before the widespread use of measles vaccine, about 3 [million] In the United States, about 4 million people contract measles each year, with about 400 to 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations, "the statement said.