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| Credit CDC |
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The remarkable success of the measles vaccine - which was introduced in the mid-1960s - is illustrated nicely by the above graph, and meant that by the start of the 21s century, the virus had been declared `eliminated' in the United States.
The rest of the world was making progress as well, but signs of trouble began to appear in 2011 (see WHO: Measles Outbreaks In The Americas, Europe & Africa), and that year the U.S. saw the first crack in the veneer, with a tripling cases over the previous year.
While the numbers have gone up and gone down (see chart above), the overall trend is up, and in only the first 4 months of 2019, this year is already the worst in two decades. The CDC explains:
In a given year, more measles cases can occur for any of the following reasons:In February, in Philippines DOH Declares & Then Expands Measles Outbreak Declaration, we saw the Philippines DOH declare a measles outbreak in the National Capital Region after an almost 10-fold increase in cases during the first 19 days of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018.
- an increase in the number of travelers who get measles abroad and bring it into the U.S., and/or
- further spread of measles in U.S. communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.
And earlier this month, in WHO Update & Risk Assessment: Measles In Europe, the World Health Organization published their 1st quarter summary of measles in the European Region, which finds nearly 85,000 cases and 79 deaths in the first 3 months of 2019.
Measles, sadly, is making a comeback around the globe, and with our highly mobile society, more and more cases are destined to come to America.Measles had become so rare in the United States over the last quarter century, many younger doctors have not seen it outside of a medical textbook. In order to help bring clinicians up to speed on this once common scourge, the CDC will hold a COCA call later today.
Most Measles Cases in 25 Years: Is This the End of Measles Elimination in the United States?= Free Continuing Education
Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Instructions for Obtaining Continuing Education (CE)
To receive continuing education (CE) for WC2922-052119 – (Webcast) Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Calls/Webinars – COCA Call– Most Measles Cases in 25 Years: Is This the End of Measles Elimination in the United States?, May 21, 2019, please visit TCEO and follow these 9 Simple Steps by June 24, 2019 .
To receive continuing education (CE) for WD2922-052119 – Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Calls/Webinars – COCA Call– Most Measles Cases in 25 Years: Is This the End of Measles Elimination in the United States?, May 21, 2019 (Web on Demand), please visit TCEO and follow these 9 Simple Steps by June 25, 2021.
To access the webinar:
A few minutes before the webinar begins, please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/118484474external icon
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +16468769923,,118484474# or +16699006833,,118484474#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 118 484 474
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/anixAVglVexternal icon
Overview
In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the United States. However, the number of measles cases so far in 2019 exceeds the number of annual cases during any entire year since the declaration was made. The number of case reports continues to climb. As of May 10, 2019, 839 measles cases have been confirmed in 23 states.
Of these cases, 621 (74%) were reported in children, with 109 (13%) in infants aged < 12 months; and 738 (88%) cases have been associated with close-knit communities, primarily in New York.
Despite a national measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage level of about 95%, 1 in 12 children in the United States is not receiving their first dose of MMR vaccine on time, underscoring considerable measles susceptibility across the country.
The majority of measles importations into the United States are from unvaccinated U.S. residents who become infected while traveling abroad. Healthcare professionals should remain vigilant about measles.
During this COCA Call, clinicians will learn what makes 2019 a historic year for measles and what they can do to help identify cases and stop measles transmission.
Webinar Objectives
Call Materials
Presenters
Call Information
Additional Resources
