Chicago doctor has warning about measles in U.S., spring break travel
A second person has died in the measles outbreak that started in West Texas.
This person, an unvaccinated adult, lived in New Mexico. This follows the first measles-related death from that outbreak, which was reported on Feb. 26 after a child in West Texas who was hospitalized due to the illness died.
Now, health officials in Illinois and across the country have issued a warning about the outbreak and spring break travel.
There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Illinois connected with this outbreak, but health leaders are still sounding the alarm — due in part to the fact that many children and families will travel during spring break, and there are outbreaks around the country.
"Any outbreak of measles is alarming," said Mark Dworkin, associate director of epidemiology at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine states — Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas — have measles outbreaks. Texas alone has experienced 160 cases since the start of the year.
"Somebody who got measles somehow somewhere else is bringing it to a community, often through travel," Dworkin said.
Dworkin said vaccination is crucial in stopping any outbreaks.
"You get a larger outbreak if you have more people who are susceptible," he said, "so it's very important that people get vaccinated."
This is especially the case as more people will travel for spring break. Dworkin pointed out that traveling exposes people beyond their immediate circles.
"It's not so much about who you're traveling with as it's about the people you don't know that you're going to be around as you're traveling," Dworkin said. "You get on a plane. You're with a whole lot of people. Everybody's got a different feeling about everything, and that includes about immunizations."
The DuPage County Health Department issued an alert this week. While they have no cases, they still warned those unvaccinated against measles about the risk of traveling this spring break — especially with what is playing out in nine states.
"We're not dealing with business-as-usual right now," Dworkin said, "and this is a disease that people who are incubating this disease who are going to get it, they can be infectious days before they even start to get sick."
In 2000, health leaders eliminated measles from the U.S. — there was no spread through the country. Now, 25 later with fewer vaccinations, outbreaks have returned.
