The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responding to an increase in cases of measles across the U.S. The transmission of measles was considered eliminated in the U.S., but since it still exists in other countries, it can be easily imported by visitors or travelers. The 64 confirmed cases are the highest since 2001, and of those 64, only one person had prior vaccination. 14 of the cases were in infants who were too young to be vaccinated, but many were contracted by children whose parents deliberately didn’t vaccinate due to personal or religious beliefs.
Measles is an extremely contagious virus that will infect 90-95 percent of non-immunized people who are close to an infected person. Its symptoms include fever, dry cough, a spreading rash, tiny red spots with bluish-white centers inside the inner cheek lining, and can lead to pneumonia and even death.