(The Hill) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new data on Friday indicating that measles cases in the United States have surpassed 1,000.
By May 15, there were 1,024 confirmed cases scattered across 31 states, marking one of the most severe outbreaks in recent years. According to the CDC, 96 percent of those infected are either not vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown.
The data also reveals that 13 percent of those affected have required hospitalization, and there have been three confirmed deaths related to the outbreak this year.
Texas has made headlines in recent months due to its measles outbreak, with 718 confirmed cases as of May 13. The Lone Star State has the largest share of the country’s cases.
Other states impacted by the outbreak include Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington
Measles was officially declared an “eliminated” disease from the U.S. over 25 years ago. But this designation could be in peril if this current outbreak lasts over a year.
