The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its weekly update today reported 42 measles cases, some tied to a large outbreak centered in West Texas and others linked to instances of community transmission or travel to other states or countries, lifting the nation's total to 1,088 infections.
Two more states reported their first cases this week, Iowa and Nebraska, putting the number of affected jurisdictions at 33. The number of outbreaks remained at 14, and 90% of cases are linked to outbreaks.
The overwhelming majority of patients (96%) are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status, and affected patients are roughly evenly split between kids younger than 5 years old, school-age children, and adults ages 20 and older.
In a related development, the CDC this week updated its measles travel advisory, noting that measles cases are rising in many countries and that all international travelers should be fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants ages 6 to 11 months old.
West Texas total grows by 9
The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) today reported 9 more cases in the West Texas outbreak, putting the total since January at 738. Though 35 counties have reported cases linked to the outbreak, only 7 still have ongoing transmission.
Like other states, Texas also continues to record measles cases from various sources that apparently aren't linked to the larger outbreak, and today officials reported 8 more such infections, lifting that total to 32.
A few other states have reported cases linked to West Texas activity, but no new illnesses were reported in New Mexico or Oklahoma. On May 28, Kansas reported a total of 64 cases from 11 counties, 59 of them linked to an outbreak in the southwestern part of the state.
Colorado cluster tied to Turkish Airlines flight
Elsewhere, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said yesterday that it and partners in Arapahoe County have now confirmed three measles cases in people who were on the same Turkish Airlines flight that arrived in Denver on May 13. The latest patient is a vaccinated Arapahoe County adult, and the two earlier announced cases involved an out-of-state traveler who was infectious on the flight and an Arapahoe County child who was likely exposed on the flight.
Measles is highly infectious and can remain in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person leaves the area.
Montana health officials reported a second measles case in Flathead County, a person who had traveled outside the state. Also, the health department in Gallatin County has now reported 2 community cases, beyond an earlier family cluster, putting the total at 10.
In Michigan, the Marquette County Health Department, located in the Upper Peninsula, reported a case in a local resident, noting that it was working closely with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the case.
