The United States, which previously declared the elimination of measles, is now experiencing a resurgence of the disease. New York State has declared a state of emergency due to a rise in measles cases this year.
According to Yonhap News, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on October 5 that "no one should suffer seriously or die from a vaccine-preventable disease," emphasizing the need for measures to prevent measles.
As of October 3, New York has reported a total of 108 confirmed measles cases this year, with 92 of those occurring in 18 counties since July 15, primarily in rural areas with low vaccination rates.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that for a community to achieve herd immunity against measles, at least 95% of the population must be vaccinated.
The measles outbreak is not limited to New York. According to Reuters, Pennsylvania, which borders New York, has reported over 1,000 cumulative measles cases, marking the largest outbreak in the state in over 30 years.
As of October 1, approximately 3,900 measles cases have been reported in the U.S. this year, the most severe outbreak since 1991.
The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000. Since then, the average annual number of measles cases has been only 180.
Elimination does not mean that no cases occur; it indicates that the virus does not continue to spread within the country, even if cases are imported from abroad. However, the recent resurgence of measles in the U.S. has raised concerns about maintaining its status as a measles-free country.
In fact, Canada lost its measles-free status last November. A country can lose this status if the same strain of the measles virus continues to spread for more than 12 months, with the decision made by the Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) Measles and Rubella Elimination Verification Commission.
New York is taking steps to prevent the spread of measles. An executive order announced on the same day allows registered nurses to order tests for suspected measles cases.
The scope of healthcare professionals authorized to administer vaccinations, including pharmacists and emergency responders, has also been expanded. Notably, pharmacists can now administer the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to children aged 2 and older.
Additionally, all MMR vaccination records must be reported to the New York State or New York City immunization registry within 72 hours. This emergency measure will remain in effect until November 4.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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