America faces a looming threat of a measles outbreak, with the CDC reporting 45 official cases as of March 7, accompanied by numerous suspected cases in California and Arizona. The surge in measles incidents can be attributed to two primary factors: declining vaccination rates within the country and the influx of unvaccinated illegal immigrants from abroad.
Concerns escalate as one migrant shelter in Chicago, housing 1,800 individuals, already records five confirmed cases, including both adults and children. With fears of a significant uptick in cases looming large, the situation appears increasingly dire.
The tally of 45 cases in the initial two months of 2024 nearly matches the entirety of the 58 cases reported throughout 2023, indicating a worrisome trend poised for further escalation. Reports from the Daily Mail suggest hundreds may already be infected in California and Arizona, with confirmed cases traced back to hospital visits in these states. Coupled with anticipated growth within the Chicago migrant shelter, the projected case count could swell into the hundreds by March’s end.
Globally, measles instances are also surging. Saskia Popescu, an assistant professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, emphasizes that the rise in cases worldwide signals concerning levels of transmission, underscoring inadequate vaccine coverage.
NEW: CNN reports the CDC is arriving in Chicago today to help the city with its first measles cases since 2019. Five cases have been identified in this outbreak so far, four of which are adults and children inside of a migrant shelter in the city. https://t.co/rzmWXPfHkn
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 12, 2024
The latest WHO statistics, released in November, underscore an 18% surge in worldwide cases, totaling 9 million, along with a staggering 43% increase in measles-related fatalities, reaching 136,000 in 2022.
Measles, recognized as one of the most contagious infectious diseases globally, can be effectively mitigated through a two-dose childhood vaccination, boasting a remarkable 97% efficacy rate. However, while 93% of Americans benefit from vaccination, global coverage remains lacking, with only approximately 83% of the world’s children receiving the initial vaccine dose.
The influx of millions of illegal immigrants into the U.S. under President Joe Biden’s administration presents a significant challenge in assessing the number of unvaccinated individuals entering the country. This vulnerable demographic not only faces heightened susceptibility to measles but also poses a considerable risk of transmission to others within their communities.
