South Carolina Grapples with Worst Measles Outbreak in a Quarter Century Amid Rising Concerns of Brain Swelling and Life-Threatening Complications.
A staggering 19 people, including several young children, have been hospitalized for severe measles complications, including brain swelling or encephalitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week. The South Carolina Department of Public Health has documented nearly 900 cases since October last year, with the outbreak now surpassing that of any other state in the US in recent years.
The alarming trend is attributed to a low vaccination rate in certain areas, which has contributed significantly to the spread of the virus. According to state epidemiologist Linda Bell, increasing vaccination coverage can prevent severe complications like encephalitis and protect vulnerable populations, such as infants, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
Measles encephalitis is a rare but serious complication that occurs when the measles virus reaches the brain during infection or triggers an abnormal immune response. It can be fatal within one to three years of diagnosis. The disease has also been linked to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare and nearly always fatal form caused by persistent infection with a mutated measles virus.
The CDC's inaction on the issue, however, is sparking concerns among public health experts. Principal deputy director Ralph Abraham recently downplayed the crisis, suggesting that other countries have experienced similar outbreaks, despite a lack of evidence to support his claims. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccination advocate, has been at odds with CDC officials and has supported unproven treatments for measles patients.
The US is now on the brink of losing its measles-free status, which was last achieved in 2000. The South Carolina outbreak, now America's largest recorded measles epidemic in over two decades, has already claimed three lives and sent hundreds to hospital. With nearly 3,000 reported cases nationwide, officials are urging increased vigilance and vaccination efforts to prevent further spread of the virus.
A staggering 19 people, including several young children, have been hospitalized for severe measles complications, including brain swelling or encephalitis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week. The South Carolina Department of Public Health has documented nearly 900 cases since October last year, with the outbreak now surpassing that of any other state in the US in recent years.
The alarming trend is attributed to a low vaccination rate in certain areas, which has contributed significantly to the spread of the virus. According to state epidemiologist Linda Bell, increasing vaccination coverage can prevent severe complications like encephalitis and protect vulnerable populations, such as infants, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
Measles encephalitis is a rare but serious complication that occurs when the measles virus reaches the brain during infection or triggers an abnormal immune response. It can be fatal within one to three years of diagnosis. The disease has also been linked to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare and nearly always fatal form caused by persistent infection with a mutated measles virus.
The CDC's inaction on the issue, however, is sparking concerns among public health experts. Principal deputy director Ralph Abraham recently downplayed the crisis, suggesting that other countries have experienced similar outbreaks, despite a lack of evidence to support his claims. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccination advocate, has been at odds with CDC officials and has supported unproven treatments for measles patients.
The US is now on the brink of losing its measles-free status, which was last achieved in 2000. The South Carolina outbreak, now America's largest recorded measles epidemic in over two decades, has already claimed three lives and sent hundreds to hospital. With nearly 3,000 reported cases nationwide, officials are urging increased vigilance and vaccination efforts to prevent further spread of the virus.
this South Carolina measles outbreak is super scary 
I mean, 19 people hospitalized including kids 
and it's all because of low vaccination rates 
like what can we do? 
I'm so worried about the brain swelling and life-threatening complications 
. We need to get vaccinated ASAP 
and support our public health officials in this fight 
. It's crazy that some people like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are spreading misinformation about vaccines 
. Let's take care of each other and stay safe during this outbreak 
. Like, 19 people hospitalized? That's insane! And those brain swellings and life-threatening complications? 
Health Sec Robert F Kennedy Jr. sounds super shady too... unproven treatments and all that jazz... no thanks 
. We need to wake up ppl & get vaccinated already! 
we gotta take care of our kids & vulnerable folks here. vaccine rates are low in some areas, so maybe instead of just telling ppl what's good for 'em, we could try gettin' more info out there about the risks & benefits of vaxx? and what's with all these unproven treatments? 
it's like, let's not jump to conclusions here... we gotta make sure we're doin' this right. i mean, 3 lives lost already? that's just devastating 
This whole thing is just a ticking time bomb waiting to happen, and I'm not sure how much longer we can trust our public health officials to have our backs 
. And the fact that some people think it's not that big of a deal just because other countries have had outbreaks too 
. What if we do lose our measles-free status? 
. I'm all for keeping an eye on things & making sure people are safe, but come on, folks! Let's get vaccinated & keep this disease under control 
.
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there are so many young kids getting sick which is really heartbreaking 
its just not good that ppl rnt vaccinated and now were facing a major crisis