Weekly measles cases hit new record amid worst outbreak since 1990s

Study connected imaginable emergence successful measles cases

Alarming survey astir imaginable summation successful measles cases 04:26

Weekly measles cases person acceptable a caller record, according to figures published Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, topping the highest of an outbreak successful 2019 that ranked arsenic the worst since the 1990s.

The fig of cases that had their symptoms commencement during the week of March 30 has grown to 111, according to the agency's latest update. Authorities backdate recently reported measles cases based connected erstwhile their rash began, to relationship for delays successful reporting and diagnosis. 

That tops the 102 cases reported for the week of March 23, 2019, astatine the tallness of that year's wave. By the extremity of 2019, measles cases that twelvemonth added up to the largest yearly tally since endemic dispersed of the microorganism was declared eliminated successful 2000.

This year, the bulk of cases are from an ongoing outbreak successful Texas and neighboring states, which is present larger than immoderate different single outbreak since the microorganism was eliminated. There person been 11 different section outbreaks of measles wrong the U.S. this year, up from 10 past week. 

While the gait of caller cases looks to person declined in Texas, officials caution it is excessively soon to accidental whether the outbreak is genuinely ending. 

"We look astatine the trends implicit clip and we'd privation to spot respective weeks of decline. New cases sometimes get reported to nationalist wellness up to a week aft idiosyncratic was tested, particularly if the trial was done astatine a commercialized lab," Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, told CBS News successful a statement.

Anton said authorities are besides watching to spot if question from the Easter vacation play past period volition effect successful an increase. 

"Cases from question that play would apt commencement to beryllium reported successful the adjacent week oregon two," Anton said.

This year's tally of cases is likely an undercount, officials and experts person said, citing anecdotes of unreported infections. The unusually precocious severity of this year's question besides suggests galore mild cases of dispersed are going undiagnosed.

For example, authorities successful Canada have confirmed much than 1,000 measles cases truthful acold this year, aft grounds outbreaks there. The U.S. has tallied astatine slightest 935 this year, according to the CDC.

In Canada, 7% of cases person resulted successful hospitalizations, little than the 13% of cases that person resulted successful hospitalizations successful the U.S. Three Americans person besides died from measles truthful acold this year, compared to nary successful Canada.

In:
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Measles