Racing To Get Ahead Of An Outbreak: Experts Project What Cities Could Be The Next To Be Hit By Measles
The cities at the top of the list? Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. A similar analysis, which uses statistics on nonmedical exemptions and international airport hubs, from last year proved to be surprisingly accurate. Meanwhile, there's been little movement on tightening exemptions at the state level despite the sweeping measles outbreak. Advocates say that the vocal anti-vaccination movement is to blame.
The New York Times:
Where Will Measles Break Out Next? Chicago, Los Angeles Or Miami, Scientists Predict
Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami are the cities most likely to see the next measles outbreaks, according to an unusual new study. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Johns Hopkins University mapped the 25 American counties most at risk of measles because of their vaccine-exemption rates and proximity to airports. A similar map published last year proved surprisingly accurate at forecasting many of this year’s cases. But both groups of scientists failed to predict the measles outbreak that began in Brooklyn, currently the nation’s largest. (McNeil, 5/10)
Stateline:
Amid Measles Outbreak, Little Effort To Kill Vaccine Exemptions
Despite the worst measles outbreak in decades, few state legislatures this year have reconsidered the exemptions that families use to avoid inoculating their children. As many legislative sessions wind down, only Washington state, which has had one of the highest numbers of measles cases, has sent a measure to the governor’s desk. (Ollove, 5/10)
In other news on the outbreak —
The Hill:
Instagram Blocks #VaccinesKill, Reviewing Other Anti-Vaccine Hashtags
Instagram this week blocked the hashtag #VaccinesKill amid its crackdown on vaccine-related misinformation, and it says it is looking into other hashtags typically used to promote false information about vaccines. The Facebook-owned social media network had previously declined to block the #VaccinesKill hashtag, a popular gathering place for anti-vaccine activists on Instagram, arguing that the phrase "vaccines kill" did not count as medical misinformation. An Instagram spokesperson in an email to The Hill last month claimed there have been rare instances in which vaccine side effects have caused death. (Birnbaum, 5/10)
Reuters:
What You Need To Know About The U.S. Measles Outbreak
The United States so far this year has recorded 704 cases of measles in 22 states, its largest outbreak since public health officials in 2000 declared the disease eradicated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC on Monday released updated figures on the number of cases recorded so far this year, which have hit a 25-year-high. Here are key facts about the outbreak. (5/10)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Measles Cases Have Cost California Counties More Than $400,000 This Year
California counties have spent more than $400,000 trying to stop measles from spreading across the state this year, according to an analysis released Friday by state officials. So far, 43 people in the state have come down with measles, with the biggest outbreak in Northern California. The figure reported Friday represents a fraction of the true cost because it does not include all of this year’s cases or the health expenses that patients may have incurred seeking medical treatment, officials said. (Karlamangla, 5/10)
KQED:
State Senator, Advocates Release Per County Cost Of Recent Measles Outbreak
Health advocates say containing and investigating the wave of measles cases this year comes with a hefty price tag. Every time a new or potential measles case is reported, it requires a thorough public health investigation. That means blood tests, informing the public and tracking down people who may have been exposed. (Jeong Perry, 5/10)
