2019–2020 measles outbreaks

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The 2019 measles outbreaks refer to a substantial global increase in the number of measles cases reported, relative to 2018.[1] As of April 2019, the number of measles cases reported worldwide represented a 300% increase from the number of cases seen in the previous year, constituting over 110,000 measles cases reported in the first three months of 2019.[1][2] In the first half of 2019, the World Health Organization received reports of 364,808 measles cases from 182 countries, up 182% from the same time period of 2018 when 129,239 confirmed cases were reported by 181 countries.

Countries affected[edit]

In the United States, the number of measles cases was set to reach a 25-year high by the middle of the year,[3] beginning with a large concentration of cases in the Pacific Northwest followed by another in New York,[4] as well in the U.S. state of California with two quarantines ordered at two colleges in Los Angeles on April 28, 2019.[5] Other countries reporting large increases included Brazil, Nigeria,[6] Israel,[7] Ukraine, Madagascar, India,[3] and the Philippines. However, the largest and most fatal outbreak of measles in 2019 occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[8] Other notable outbreak locations include the 2019 Kuala Koh measles outbreak,[9] 2019 Philippines measles outbreak in Asia;[10] the 2019 Pacific Northwest measles outbreak[11] and 2019 New York measles outbreak in the United States;[12] 2019–2020 New Zealand measles outbreak,[13] and 2019 Samoa measles outbreak in Oceania.[14]

Contributing factors[edit]

In some countries, this outbreak has been fueled by lack of access to the measles vaccine, while in others it has been exacerbated by opposition to vaccination.[1] As one such example, the outbreak in the Philippines was attributed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to lowered trust in the government's immunization drive due to a controversy regarding administration of a dengue vaccine.[15] The outbreak prompted President Donald Trump to shift away from his previous skepticism regarding vaccination, and to insist that parents must vaccinate their children.[16] The Trump Administration also took a forceful position of requiring vaccination, with Trump's Surgeon General Jerome Adams calling for limitations on exemptions to vaccination.[17]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Fore, Henrietta H.; Ghebreyesus, Tedros Adhanom (April 15, 2019). "Measles cases are up nearly 300% from last year. This is a global crisis". CNN.
  2. ^ Soucheray, Stephanie (August 12, 2019). "Global measles outbreaks make 2019 a record-setting year". CIDRAP. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Cohen, Elizabeth (April 15, 2019). "Measles reaches 2nd-highest level in U.S. in 25 years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  4. ^ Scutti, Susan (January 30, 2019). "Measles outbreaks in Washington and New York challenge public health systems". CNN.
  5. ^ Drash, Wayne (April 28, 2019). "Measles quarantine issued at two California universities". CNN.
  6. ^ "Global Measles Outbreaks". www.cdc.gov. January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  7. ^ "Measles - NYC Health". www1.nyc.gov.
  8. ^ Catesby Holmes (October 19, 2019). "Outbreaks of measles: compounding challenges in the DRC". The Conversation. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  9. ^ Fong, Loh. "Another six measles cases confirmed in Kg Kuala Koh, bringing total to 43". The Star. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  10. ^ Beaubien, Jason. "The Philippines Is Fighting One Of The World's Worst Measles Outbreaks". NPR. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  11. ^ Galvin, Gaby. "Measles Outbreak Hits 40 Cases". US News. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  12. ^ Soucheray, Stephanie (September 3, 2019). "US measles cases hit 1,234 as Brooklyn outbreak called over". Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  13. ^ "New Zealand measles outbreak rises above 1,000 cases". BBC News. September 5, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  14. ^ Forani, Jonathon (December 30, 2019). "Samoa ends state of emergency after 5,667 cases of measles". CTV News. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  15. ^ "Measles outbreak declared in 3 more regions". ABS-CBN News. February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  16. ^ Vazquez, Maegan (April 26, 2019). "Trump now says parents must vaccinate children in face of measles outbreak". CNN.
  17. ^ "US Surgeon General visits Washington as measles outbreak spreads". KING. March 7, 2019.
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