Measles: CDC team will help Chicago officials respond to outbreak | Top Vip News

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A team of experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to arrive in Chicago on Tuesday to help local public health officials manage a measles outbreak there.

The Chicago Department of Public Health said last week that the city had its first case of measles since 2019. The person is recovering well at home. the department said.

The department announced Sunday that there were two unrelated cases of measles among children in a shelter for immigrants in a large warehouse in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood. One child has recovered and is no longer contagious, the health department said. The second child is hospitalized but is in good condition.

Two cases were also identified among adults at the shelter, the department said Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the city to five. Both adults are in stable condition.

The CDC, which sends its experts when local authorities request them, says it has not sent personnel to other recent measles outbreaks.

The CDC team will work closely with city and state health departments to help identify people who may be at risk of getting sick. The team will provide clinical guidance, help coordinate testing, and work with those on the ground to educate influential community leaders and doctors who can emphasize how important it is to get vaccinated. The CDC will also provide guidance on a vaccination campaign covering certain schools, shelters, and other congregate settings, as well as additional vaccines to ensure there is adequate supply for both adults and children.

“Most Chicagoans are vaccinated against measles and therefore are not at high risk, but we strongly urge those who are not vaccinated to do so as soon as possible, newcomers, and all Chicagoans. from Chicago. It is by far the best protection against measles, which is affecting our city for the first time in years,” Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said in Sunday’s statement.

“Because of how contagious measles is, I anticipate seeing more cases. If you are exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated, you should quarantine yourself immediately and call a healthcare provider. “If you are unsure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your healthcare provider as soon as possible.”

Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe symptoms that can lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening complications, but it can be prevented with vaccination.

People who are not vaccinated against the virus can get sick if they breathe contaminated air or touch a surface touched by someone infected with measles. It may remain in the area where someone sneezed or coughed for about one to two hours, studies show.

Infected people can transmit measles about four days before and four days after developing a rash that is a trademark of the virus. says the CDC.

Measles usually begins with a mild to moderate fever, along with a runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Some people also have stomach problems.

The disease can be particularly difficult for babies and young children.

Most people in the US receive a series of two measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines during childhood. When it comes to preventing illness after exposure, the vaccine is considered to be more than 95% effective with a single dose and 97% effective after a second dose.

“CDC continues to recommend the safe and effective MMR vaccine as part of the routine immunization schedule for all children and adults, with special guidance for international travel”the agency said in a statement on Monday. “We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”

The Chicago health department said it has also partnered with public health administrators from Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Health care workers tested nearly all of the shelter’s residents over the weekend and vaccinated more than 900 of them, the Chicago health department says.

More than 700 residents were found to have immunity to vaccination or infection, and are allowed to come and go, the health department says. Those who have not been vaccinated or have recently been vaccinated by the city should quarantine for 21 days and monitor for symptoms.

Health officials are also administering MMR vaccines to newly arrived immigrants who have not been previously vaccinated.

In May, officials said they expected an influx of immigrants following the expiration of Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic public health order intended to stop the spread of Covid-19. The policy became a key tool that officials used to turn away migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at the time that communities may need to be vigilant for possible cases of infectious diseases.

As in past situations, health care providers must recognize that “we may have undervaccinated people settling into communities, and we must be vigilant for infectious threats,” he said.

Measles is considered a disease that was eliminated of the US in 2000, but cases have been appearing throughout the country. An outbreak in Florida last month included several cases linked to children at an elementary school.

Starting March 7, the CDC said, this year 45 cases have been reported in 17 jurisdictions across the country. For all of last year, there were 58 cases in the United States.

About 92% of American children have been vaccinated against MMR before age 2, according to a 2023 report from the CDC, below the federal goal of 95%.

The percentage of kindergartners receiving state-required measles vaccines also remained below the federal goal for the 2022-23 school year, according to the CDC. data. And the rate of vaccine exemptions for children has reached the highest level ever recorded in the United States.

Children should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, according to the CDC: the first dose between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years of age.

Before national measles vaccination programBetween 3 and 4 million people contract the virus each year and between 400 and 500 die.

CNN’s Amanda Musa, Jennifer Feldman and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.