Illinois, Iowa Report Cases In National Measles Outbreak

A huge rise in measles cases is impacting the Midwest.

I think we've all paid our dues for dealing with sickness outbreaks (see: 2020) but now, in the heat of summer, there is a new (kinda) one we're contending with.

NBC News reports that measles cases in the U.S. are the highest they've been since the country eliminated the disease in 2000. (Eliminated just means an "absence of the continuous spread of disease was greater than 12 months")

CDC has a map they're updating every Wednesday now. The number of cases is steadily growing. As of 7/11, the numbers look like this:

• Illinois: 10-49 cases reported
• Iowa: Iowa is in the 1-9 category, most having been reported within the last 4 weeks

Again, those numbers will have ongoing updates.

So far, the most cases are in Texas. Illinois held a press conference to talk about the outbreak.

We know measles has long had an effective vaccine. But it is possible for you to get measles even if you got the vaccine as a kid. In adults and kids, measles symptoms include a runny nose, fever, cough, and red watery eyes. There may be a sore throat, sensitivity to light, or white spots on the inside of your mouth.

The vaccine is the most effective way to prevent getting measles, but besides that, it's a lot of COVID-era precautions. Use the hand sanitizer, disinfect stuff, and give people their personal space. The outbreak is also a great excuse to bring back social distancing.