US measles cases surge nearly 20% in a week, CDC says

Author: Reuters / Source: the Guardian

The number of confirmed cases of measles in the United States this year jumped by nearly 20% in the week ending 11 April, in the country’s second-worst outbreak in nearly two decades, federal health officials reported on Monday.

As of 11 April, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded 555 cases of the disease since the beginning of the year, up from 465 cases confirmed by 4 April.

The cases were found in 20 states spanning the country.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can lead to complications and death, particularly in children. The CDC report did not say whether there have been any fatalities.

The US outbreak is part of a worldwide rise. The World Health Organization reported on Monday that global cases had risen nearly fourfold in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 compared with the same period last year.

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