Measles Breaks Modern Records with 704 Reported Cases

The highly contagious disease measles has made a massive comeback as outbreaks crop up across the U.S. There have been a total of 704 reported cases so far this year.

The number of measles cases in the U.S. has been steadily increasing since the beginning of the year. It has now reached a record high.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that there have been 704 cases reported nationally so far this year.  The ongoing outbreaks in the last four months have caused this year's number of cases to break the record set last year. 

As of April 26, more than 70% of the 704 people with confirmed measles since January 1 were unvaccinated. On-time vaccination with two doses of MMR vaccine is the most effective way to limit the spread of measles virus. Read the recent @CDCMMWR: https://t.co/9yjDuB4lrB pic.twitter.com/lJmrQDBk33

— CDC (@CDCgov) April 29, 2019

Last week, there were only 626 confirmed cases for 2019. At that time, officials said that "in the coming weeks" the number of confirmed cases in 2019 were expected to surpass the prior record set in 2014.

The 2014 record was set at 667 cases. The record was shattered long before the initial prediction and was broken in less than a week.

Global #measles outbreaks are on the rise & pose a serious threat to global health security. CDC & global health partners urge every country to continue vaccinating to reach more than 95% immunization coverage capacities to detect any new cases.#protectedtogether #VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/f1qX1LqZ79

— CDC Global Health (@CDCGlobal) April 26, 2019

Cases have been reported in 22 states. The biggest outbreaks are located in Rockland County and Brooklyn, New York.

The outbreaks in New York date back to October 2018.  Since then there have been a total of 202 cases in Rockland County and 390 cases in Brooklyn and Queens.

Update on the measles outbreak: 704 cases in 22 states.

"This is the greatest number of cases reporting in the United States since measles were eliminated," said Alex Azar, the Health and Human Services Secretary.

(yes the disease was declared done in the US in 2000)

— Amber Jamieson (@ambiej) April 29, 2019

The CDC currently has nine ongoing outbreaks listed. It states that each of the outbreaks "is linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring."