In a weekly update today, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 66 more measles cases, pushing the national total to 1,001 and in just over 4 months keeps the nation on track to pass the 2019 total, which marked the nation's worst year since the disease was declared to be eliminated in 2000.
The steady rise in cases is fueled by multiple outbreaks, with two more reported this week. The CDC is tracking 14 outbreaks that are responsible for 93% of cases.
More infections in Texas, Arkansas
The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) today reported 7 more cases since its last update on May 6, lifting the state's total to 709 confirmed patients, of whom 679 (96%) were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. The number of affected counties remained at 29, and most cases are in Gaines County, the outbreak's epicenter.
Five more hospitalizations were reported, putting that total at 92. The number of deaths remained at two.
Elsewhere, the Arkansas Department of Health reported two more cases, lifting the state’s total to six. Last week, officials reported a case without a travel history, which suggested local spread.
The most recent locations for potential exposure from infected patients are in Faulkner and Mississippi counties.
Ohio's Cuyahoga County reports first case
In other developments, health officials in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, reported the area's first measles case, which involves an unvaccinated child. Cuyahoga County, in the northeastern part of the state, is home to Cleveland.
The health department's press release didn't say how the patient likely contracted the virus. It said exposure to the public may have occurred at Hillcrest Hospital, where he or she was treated before going home to recover in isolation.
