U.S. measles cases hit a record high since the disease was eliminated in 2000

Author: Aimee Cunningham / Source: Science News

U.S. measles cases have soared to the highest number since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000.

New cases reported April 24 by officials in New York City pushed the 2019 tally past the previous high of 667 cases in 2014, the Associated Press reports. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to provide its next nationwide update on April 29.

Years of inadequate childhood measles vaccination coverage throughout the world have set the stage for the resurgence in the United States as well as in many other countries. An estimated 169 million children globally were not vaccinated against measles from 2010 to 2017 — or an average of 21.1 million per year, according to data released April 24 by UNICEF to kick off World Immunization Week.

“It is unfortunate where we stand in 2019 on measles control, given the fact that we have such an effective, safe and, very importantly, inexpensive vaccine available,” says Robin Nandy, Chief of Immunization at UNICEF…

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