(Feb. 2, 2024) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert last week regarding confirmed U.S. cases of measles. Between Dec. 1, 2023, and Jan. 23, 2024, the CDC was notified of 23 confirmed U.S. cases of measles, including seven direct importations of measles by international travelers and two outbreaks with more than five cases each. Most of these cases were among children and adolescents who had not received a measles-containing vaccine (MMR or MMRV), even if age-eligible.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a KS-HAN alert this week on this issue, encouraging providers to be on alert for patients who have: (1) febrile rash illness and symptoms consistent with measles (e.g., cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis), and (2) have recently traveled abroad, especially to countries with ongoing measles outbreaks. Infected people are contagious from four days before the rash starts through four days afterward.
Measles cases often originate from unvaccinated or under-vaccinated U.S. residents who travel internationally and then transmit the disease to people who are not vaccinated against measles. The increased number of measles importations seen in recent weeks is reflective of a rise in global measles cases and a growing global threat from the disease.
For data on how Kansas is doing on school entry vaccination coverage, including for MMR, see Immunize Kansas Coalition data page. MMR vaccination rates in Kansas kindergartners has decreased from 94.47 percent in the 2019-2020 academic year to 91.04 percent in the 2022 – 2023 academic year.
--Karen Braman