Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The US is experiencing a sharp resurgence of measles, with 935 confirmed cases reported so far this year — more than triple the total for all of 2024, according to the latest data by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 12 measles outbreaks have been recorded nationwide this year. The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more connected cases, Xinhua news agency reported.
This year’s case count represents a significant surge from 2024 when 285 measles cases were recorded in the country for the entire year. The CDC emphasises that the best way to prevent measles is through vaccination. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are highly effective in preventing the disease.
Meanwhile, 12 paediatric deaths associated with seasonal influenza virus infection were reported in the US in the week ending April 26, bringing the season total to 216 paediatric deaths, the CDC said.
This number of paediatric deaths exceeds the previous high reported for a regular (non-pandemic) season. The previous high of 207 was reported during the 2023-2024 season, according to the weekly influenza surveillance report.
The CDC noted that seasonal influenza activity continues to decline, but this season is classified as a high-severity season overall and for all age groups (children, adults, older adults) and is the first high-severity season since 2017-2018.
The agency estimates that there have been at least 47 million illnesses, 610,000 hospitalisations, and 26,000 deaths from flu in the country so far this season.
The CDC continues to recommend that everyone ages 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine as long as influenza viruses are circulating. There are likely several contributors to this season’s severity, but a big one is that fewer children are getting flu shots, said Dr. Sean O’Leary, of the American Academy of Paediatrics.