Measles are unusually tough virus. Even with the presence of MMR vaccine, it continues to thrive when everyone thought it has been eradicated completely. Last year’s record may be completely eclipsed by this years out break. The incident in Disneyland was highly unexpected and it became the unlikely catalyst of the measles outbreak this year.
Who can forget what happened in 2014 when there was measles outbreak between Jan. 1 and May 23. The Centers for Diseases Control reported 644 measles cases confirmed. It was the highest number of measles cases in the US since 1994 and the worst in twenty years. It baffled experts no end.
The virus was suspected to have come from international travelers and unvaccinated people from the US. This is exactly what’s happening again.
Is history going to repeat itself this year? It still remains to be seen. There are now 26 cases reported in 4 states and the number is still growing.
Today, Orange County health officials have confirmed 16 measles cases so far. The California county health professionals are still in the dark where the infection might have originated. Orange County has been the source between 10 cases, when visitors from all over the world and the United States came for their annual pilgrimage to see Disneyland California Adventure Park or Disneyland last December.
There were 6 other infections confirmed lately, however the patients had nothing to do with the cases connected to the Disneyland incident. This just goes to show, according to health officials, the measles outbreak have become more widespread. Measles are highly contagious, it is also considered a serious disease. It infects people both by personal contact and through airborne virus.
Carriers are difficult to pinpoint since they themselves may not be aware they have the infection until 4 days later when the symptoms start to appear. The symptoms include watery eyes, cough, fever, and skin rash.
Approximately 20 million people are infected by the virus worldwide annually with deaths running to hundreds of thousands.
Since the era of vaccination, the case of measles infections in the US have gone down drastically but the campaign of anti-vaccination movements has been driving parents away from vaccination centers.
Pregnant women, young children and individuals with weak immune system usually get infected first.
Anyone with measles are enjoined to call their doctors first before travelling to health care centers. This is to minimize the incidence of exposures to healthy individuals. Everyone are also encouraged by the Health Care Agency to take the vaccine since its 99 percent effective in stopping the measles.
However many parents refuse to heed the call. They continue to refuse to have their children vaccinated despite the threat of the measles outbreak. They have been influenced by the anti-vaccination group.