CDC Says Measles Outbreak Still Growing

CDC/BSIP/AFP
CDC/BSIP/AFP

The measles outbreak, originally tracked to Disneyland theme parks in California, has grown to over 100 cases, authorities said on Monday.

102 cases of Measles have been identified in 14 states, most of which are linked to the dozen or so cases first identified as having been contracted at Disneyland.

An official at the Centers for Disease Control reported last week that the source for the disease was probably foreign.

“We don’t know exactly how this outbreak started but we do think it was likely a person infected with measles overseas,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We assume that someone got infected with measles overseas, visited Disneyland park, and spread the disease to others,” Dr. Schuchat added.

There have been at least 92 cases of measles in California alone.

According to the CDC, measles has now appeared in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control had thought that measles were eliminated in the US, but starting in 2008, cases again began to climb. In 2014, the number of cases exploded to nearly 700, more than all reported cases between 2009 and 2013. The CDC also reported that cases reached a 20-year high in 2014.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.