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US Measles Threat Grows: Elimination Status at Risk
16 Dec
Summary
- Measles outbreaks are resurging in several US states, threatening elimination status.
- Declining vaccination rates are linked to misinformation spread by the anti-vaccine movement.
- Outbreaks in South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah share virus strains with Texas.
- Health officials express concern over the growing number of measles cases.
The United States faces a growing threat of measles resurgence, jeopardizing its long-held elimination status for the highly contagious disease. Recent outbreaks in South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah, some linked to the same virus strain from a deadly West Texas outbreak, signal a broader national concern.
Experts point to declining vaccination rates as a key factor, largely fueled by persistent misinformation campaigns from the anti-vaccine movement. These narratives have sowed hesitancy among parents, leading to a significant drop in the percentage of children receiving the crucial measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, falling below the target needed for herd immunity.
