Measles Tally Continues To Climb While More States Scramble To Tighten Vaccination Exemption Laws

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Measles Cases Continue To Climb
As measles cases rose last week to a new high of 764 cases this year in 23 states, a battle is heating up in New York state over a proposal to tighten vaccination requirements for those attending schools. The new total is 60 cases more than a week ago, according to a weekly update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is the highest case count since 1994, driven largely by two outbreaks—in New York City and nearby Rockland County. N.Y. (McKay, West and Vielkind, 5/6)

The Hill: CDC Reports 60 New Measles Cases In The Past Week
Less than two weeks ago, the country broke the record of 667 cases reported in 2014, the most confirmed since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. The new numbers mean that a little over four months into the year, there have been almost 100 more cases than there were in all of 2014. Cases have been reported in 23 states, with Pennsylvania being the newest addition. Of the 60 new individual cases, 52 were reported in New York, where two large outbreaks are occurring in Rockland County and in New York City. (Weixel, 5/6)

The Associated Press: States Seek To Cut Off Religious Exemptions For Vaccination
Connecticut’s Attorney General gave state lawmakers the legal go-ahead Monday to pursue legislation that would prevent parents from exempting their children from vaccinations for religious reasons, a move that several states are considering amid a significant measles outbreak. The non-binding ruling from William Tong, a Democrat, was released the same day public health officials in neighboring New York called on state legislators there to pass similar legislation . Most of the cases in the current outbreak have been in New York state. (Haigh, 5/6)

NPR: Amid Measles Outbreaks, States Consider Revoking Religious Vaccine Exemptions
Oregon is one of more than 10 states considering tightening their vaccine laws this year. It's a reaction to what health officials say is the worst year for measles in 25 years — nearly two decades after the disease was labeled "eliminated" in the U.S. (VanderHart, 5/6)

The CT Mirror: Tong: No Constitutional Barrier To Removing State's Religious Exemption On Vaccines
A plan by a group of Democratic lawmakers to wipe out the state’s religious exemption on vaccines does not violate the constitution, Attorney General William Tong wrote in an opinion issued Monday. But whether the General Assembly will take up the hot-button issue of repealing the provision is still up in the air. (Carlesso, 5/6)

Los Angeles Times: How Stricter Vaccine Laws Spared California From A Major Measles Outbreak
More than 750 people have been diagnosed with measles in the United States this year, the most cases nationwide in more than 20 years. Health officials say that more than 500 of those people had not been vaccinated. (Krishnakumar and Karlamangla, 5/6)

The Hill: Oregon House Passes Bill To Eliminate Religious, Philosophical Vaccine Exemptions
Oregon lawmakers have advanced a bill that would eliminate religious and philosophical exemptions for mandatory vaccinations, according to the Oregonian. The bill, which would allow exemptions to vaccinations solely for medical reasons, passed the Oregon state House 35-25, largely along party lines but with two Republicans voting for it, including Rep. Cheri Helt, who introduced it, and four “nay” votes from Democrats. Gov. Kate Brown (D) has indicated she will sign the bill if it passes the state Senate. (Budryk, 5/6)

The Oregonian: Vaccination-Boosting Bill Passes Oregon House 
The highly controversial bill to eliminate loopholes in the state’s vaccination law passed the Oregon House on Monday and is on its way to the Senate. Gov. Kate Brown has already said she plans to sign House Bill 3063. The 35-25 vote fell largely along party lines, with two Republicans -- including Bend Rep. Cheri Helt, who introduced the bill -- voting in favor of its passage. Four Democratic representatives voted against it. (Harbarger, 5/6)

The Hill: Instagram Developing 'Pop-Up' Message To Crack Down On Vaccine Misinformation 
Instagram said it is taking further steps to crack down on the spread of medically inaccurate content by developing a "pop-up" that would appear on content containing vaccine-related misinformation. An Instagram spokesperson told The Hill that the company has been working on a message that would appear when people search for vaccine misinformation, adding that the feature is still in the works.  (Birnbaum, 5/6)

CNN: This Mom Wants You To Know What Measles Did To Her Baby
Like all people who believe in facts and science, Jilly Moss is incredulous when she hears anti-vaxers say that measles is no big deal. Moss has a particularly personal perspective: Her baby ended up in the hospital last month because of the virus. Alba, who was 11 months old at the time, had a fever that soared over 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Her eyes were swollen shut for days, and doctors had to give her medicine to prevent her from going blind. She couldn't eat or drink and had so much trouble breathing, doctors had to put her on oxygen. (Cohen, 5/6)

North Carolina Health News: No Shots, No Service: Pediatricians Take Tough Stands While Vaccination Rates For Young Children In N.C. Drop
More than 80 percent of North Carolina’s toddlers were up to date in 2014 on a series of seven vaccines recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, a rate that exceeded national numbers by nine percentage points. But North Carolina’s coverage rate dropped to 70.9 percent just three years later in 2017, according to the most recent data collected for the CDC’s annual National Immunization Survey of toddlers 19 to 35 months old. The survey is conducted by telephone, with researchers later confirming reports about immunizations with medical providers. (Ovaska-Few, 5/7)