Measles cases are rising in the United States and Canada, primarily among the unvaccinated, according to statistics from both countries.
The highly contagious disease has been detected in the U.S. states of Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The Canadian patients were diagnosed in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. Advertisement
UNITED STATES
Texas
As of Tuesday, there were 24 cases in Texas’ Gaines County, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The cases were identified within the last two weeks, with nine of the patients having been hospitalized.
Of those infected, 16 were between the ages of 5 and 17, with six below the age of 4 years old and two adults.
All those infected were unvaccinated, it said.
“Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities,” it said in a statement.
Under Texas law children may be exempt from mandatory vaccines for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. According to state data, 17.62% of Gaines County K-12 students were exempt from at least one vaccine, ranking it among the highest exemption rate in the state. Data also shows that nearly half of all students at one school had filed for conscientious exemptions. Advertisement
Georgia
Health officials in Georgia on Friday reported two new measles cases among unvaccinated Atlanta residents.
The new cases are family members of a person who was confirmed infected with the disease late last month. Health officials said that person, the state’s first infection of this year, had acquired the virus while traveling within the United States.
Rhode Island
Last month, the Rhode Island Department of Health confirmed its first measles case since 2013.
It identified the patient as a “young, unvaccinated child” who had recently traveled internationally.
Alaska
Health officials in Alaska confirmed a measles case on Jan. 16.
In a statement, the Alaska Department of Health said the patient, an unvaccinated adult, began experiencing symptoms while traveling home to Alaska from a trip overseas.
“This person was infectious while flying on Alaska Air flight 228 from Seattle to Anchorage on January 10 and while at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport from approximately 10 p.m. January 10 to 12 a.m. January 11,” it said.
There were 285 measles cases in 33 states last year, according to the CDC.
CANADA
Ontario
On Monday, the health officials reported 15 new cases in Norfolk County, in southern ontario, bringing the total for the region to 37, including five adults and 32 children. Advertisement
The Health and Social Services for Haldimand and Norfolk counties said all cases were recovering at home and that the source of the new infections is previous exposures.
Quebec
According to Quebec health officials, there have been 19 confirmed infections as of Tuesday, with 13 in Laurentides. The other cases were located in Montreal and and Laval.
According to the government of Canada, there were 147 measles infections last year, and 12 in 2023.
