Mapping the 2019 Measles Outbreaks

Cases of measles continue to rise, as we pass 1,000 cases in the United States.

With a record high number of cases, there are measles cases and outbreaks in 31 states, including:

What’s the first thing you notice about this measles outbreaks?

They aren’t spread out evenly through the United States.

In fact, the largest outbreaks are clustered in just a few states, including California, Michigan, New York (Rockland County and Brooklyn), and Washington (Pacific Northwest Outbreak and the Puget Sound Outbreak).

What does that look like when you map it?

It looks a little strange…

And that’s because, amazingly, about 70% of cases this year are in just one state – New York!

But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be concerned if you don’t live in New York. After all, measles is on the rise all over the world and it is still just a plane ride away. And there are plenty of other communities with low immunization rates where folks are at risk for outbreaks.

Also consider that even without the big outbreaks, this would still rank as a big year for measles.

Bottom line?

Get vaccinated and protected and stop the outbreaks. The MMR vaccine is safe, effective, with few risks. And it is obviously necessary.