Miami, .- The cases of measles in the country continue to rise and there are 839 confirmed in a total of 23 states, figures that are close to those recorded 25 years ago, reported Monday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, in English).
The health authorities warned that the incidence of this contagious disease continues to rise, after the 704 cases reported at the end of last April.
Between January 1 and May 10, 839 individual cases were confirmed, which represents an increase of 75 from the previous week.
This is the largest number of cases reported in the country since measles was considered eradicated in 2000 and 963 cases in all of 1994.
The 839 confirmed cases were registered in little more than five months, so it is possible that the 1994 figures are exceeded if the contagion trend continues.
The states that have notified the CDC are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon , Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee and Washington.
Those responsible for the CDC urge the population to be vaccinated against this disease, as well as against mumps and rubella.
According to the CDC, the current outbreak originated in unvaccinated people who became infected abroad and returned to the country, where it can spread when it reaches a community with a large number of people without vaccination.
These cases are linked to people who brought measles from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines, where there are large outbreaks of measles.
That is why the authorities are emphasizing the need to get vaccinated in case you plan to leave the United States, especially as summer vacation approaches.
Most of the infections have occurred in three outbreaks: two in the state of New York and another in the state of Washington.
About 1.3% of children under the age of two in the United States are not vaccinated against measles, according to CDC figures.
The most common symptoms of measles are high fever, cough, runny nose, watery and watery eyes, and a rash that appears 3 to 5 days after symptoms begin.
In 2018, USA registered 17 outbreaks of measles for a total of 372 cases, of which 82 infections occurred outside the country, which was the highest figure since this disease was eradicated in 2000. (EFEUSA)
