According to the CDC’s March 18 alert, there have been 58 confirmed cases of measles infection in the U.S. this year, the same number recorded for the entire year in 2023. Over one in four (28%) St. Louis adults reported hearing that “Measles cases are on the rise” in the last week.
Of the 58 cases, nearly all (93%) are linked to international travel. Most involve children ages 12 months and older who were not vaccinated with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Measles cases often spread from unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals who transmit the disease to people who are not vaccinated against measles.
The CDC emphasizes the importance of vaccination for international travelers and children. Organizations in St. Louis can share the resources below to help remind community members –especially in those groups – to be up to date in their MMR vaccination.
This week’s report is based on 152 responses from a panel of adult residents of St. Louis City and County surveyed from Saturday, March 16, to Monday, March 18, 2024. Explore these data and more at iHeardSTL.
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There have been 58 cases of measles so far this year. This already equals the total number of cases in ALL of 2023. The takeaway: measles is preventable. Vaccinations reduce the spread of measles & the severity of symptoms.
#iHeardSTL #Measles #StayHealthy #GetVaccinated