Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Oct 23: The United States has recorded 1,618 measles cases so far this year, including three deaths — the highest annual tally since 1992, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Of the total cases, 1,595 were reported across 42 states and jurisdictions, while 23 infections were detected among international visitors. Nearly 200 patients required hospitalisation, including 95 children under five years old.

Health officials said that about 92 per cent of all cases occurred among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was uncertain, highlighting a troubling decline in immunisation coverage nationwide.

Experts warn that the spike marks a worrying resurgence of a disease once nearly eradicated in the US. Measles, an extremely contagious viral infection spread through respiratory droplets, can cause fever, cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, and a red rash that spreads across the body. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, or death.

The measles vaccine — introduced in 1963 — remains one of the safest and most effective preventive measures. Before vaccination campaigns began, the disease caused major epidemics every few years and an estimated 2.6 million deaths globally each year.

Despite modern medicine and widespread vaccine availability, measles claimed around 107,500 lives in 2023, mostly among unvaccinated children under five.

Public health authorities have urged parents to ensure children receive the full course of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, warning that even a small drop in coverage can trigger outbreaks of a disease that spreads faster than almost any other known virus.