Measles cases this year exceed the 2018 year total

The number of measles cases continues to skyrocket, with more confirmed infections of the highly contagious virus in the first three months of this year than in 2018, health officials said.

On Thursday, there were 387 measles cases this year in 15 states, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said, citing preliminary findings. This has already overshadowed the total of last year, 372 percent last year. The 15 states in epidemic are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

"This is the second highest number of cases reported in the United States since the elimination of measles in 2000," the CDC said. The highest number after 2000 was in 2014, with 667 confirmed cases.

International travel to areas affected by major outbreaks of the disease, such as Israel and Ukraine, is behind the recent rise in the disease.

The three largest outbreaks of last year – in New York State, New York City, and New Jersey – affected mostly unvaccinated people in Jewish Orthodox communities, the CDC said.

"Eighty-two people brought measles to the United States from other countries in 2018 … the largest number of cases imported since 2000," said the CDC.

The majority of those who contracted measles have not been vaccinated, the CDC added.

The measles virus, which invades the nose and throat, is spread by coughing and sneezing. It causes fever and congestion, and can lead to disabling or life-threatening complications, including severe diarrhea, pneumonia and inflammation of the brain.

The virus can live for up to two hours in the airspace where an infected person coughs or sneezes. The vaccine is 97% effective, say the authorities.

"Measles is so contagious that if someone is infected, almost 90% of those close to this person who are not immunized will also be infected," said the CDC.

Before the launch of the measles immunization program in 1963, it was estimated that between 3 and 4 million people were infected each year in the United States. About 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized and 1,000 developed encephalitis due to inflammation of the brain, said the CDC.