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The 2024 Measles Outbreaks

Vincent Iannelli, MD

We started 2024 with an ongoing measles outbreaks in Philadelphia and Washington.

We had at least 285 in 2024, including cases in Arizona (6), California (15), Delaware (1), Florida (15), Georgia (6), Idaho (1), Illinois (67), Indiana (2), Louisiana (3), Kentucky/Tennessee (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (7), Minnesota (70), Missouri (2), Nevada (1), New Hampshire (3), New Jersey (7), New Mexico (2), New York and NYC (15), North Carolina (1), Ohio (14), Oklahoma, Oregon (31), Pennsylvania (5), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (1), Vermont (2), Virginia (1), Washington (6), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (1), and Washington DC (1).

And after seeing a record high and low number of measles cases in the United States in the last few years, what can we expect in 2024, as measles epidemics are once again being reported around the world and travel restrictions have loosened???

We are already at the 4th highest number of cases since 1996!

2024 Measles Outbreaks

Unfortunately, it looks like we will see more measles…

“There have been 10 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2024, and 68% of cases (97 of 142) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 4 outbreaks were reported during 2023 and 48% of cases (28 of 58) were outbreak-associated.”

Measles cases in 2024

We had:

What’s next?

The measles outbreak in Florida is over. Four additional cases in Orlando apparently aren’t being counted as being from Florida…

Unfortunately, we can expect more measles…

Interestingly, unlike most years, lately we have been seeing more indigenous than imported cases!

“Two cases of measles have been confirmed in Texas this year, both in non-school-aged children. The first case was diagnosed in June in a resident of Hood County. The second was diagnosed in August in a resident of McCulloch County. Neither has a history of travel to an area where measles is spreading, and no other risk factors for exposure were identified.”

Health Alert: Confirmed Case of Measles – August 2023

Where are all of these indigenous cases coming from?

Are there more cases than haven’t been reported?

Are we going to start seeing more cases, especially as we are seeing more international outbreaks?

Less travel because of the COVID-19 pandemic had kept measles cases low in the United States, but unless folks get vaccinated and protected, they will rise as travel restrictions have eased.

Get vaccinated and protected so that you don’t get caught up in a measles outbreak. And at least get your kids vaccinated before you travel folks! Don’t be responsible for starting a measles outbreak in your community.

Are you vaccinated and protected with two doses of MMR?

More on the 2024 Measles Outbreaks:

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