Measles is making a comeback. Should we be concerned?
Franmaris Luna, 9, of Venezuela, cries on the arm of her mother, Tibisay Luna, while waiting for a bus with her sister Frayeli, 11, outside a migrant shelter on Chicago’s Lower West Side on March 8, 2024. Franmaris was afraid of contracting measles after a child staying at the shelter developed a confirmed case that Chicago public health officials announced Friday. It was the second case of measles reported in the city this week.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an uptick in the number of measles cases around the nation since early December. If the pace of infections continues to follow this trajectory, 2024’s total will top the surge reported in 2014 (667 cases), or even the 1,274 cases reported in 2019.
One perception among some people is that measles is just another innocuous infectious disease that children contract, characterized by fever and a rash. The actual risks to children in contracting measles are much greater.
The CDC reports that on the order of 1 to 3 in 1,000 infected children will die from respiratory and neurologic complications. The best protection is a safe and effective vaccine, which has been available for more than 60 years and served as the primary factor in a reduction in measles infections to levels that has kept children safe.
What makes controlling measles so challenging is its high transmission rate, as measured by R0, or R naught, its basic reproduction number. The R0 for measles is estimated to be between 12 and 18, the highest among pediatric infectious diseases.
The number of measles outbreaks around the nation continues to grow. The absolute number of cases remains small, but vaccines are crucial to prevent further spread.
The best protection is always preparation and prevention, since disease avoided is a win for all. Communication and trust define the pathway to secure such protections. Let’s stay informed and work together to protect our communities from the resurgence of measles.
