As many as 561 measles cases have been confirmed in Texas, according to the latest data issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). There has been an ongoing measles outbreak in the United States. DSHS said that 20 new cases were reported in the last five days and at least 58 patients linked to measles have been hospitalised.
The DSHS said, "Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities."
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that 712 measles cases have been reported in the US this year in at least 24 states. Of the cases, 97 per cent are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
Cleveland Clinic says that measles is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus. It causes a widespread rash and flu-like symptoms. But measles isn’t just a rash. It can make you severely ill and lead to life-threatening complications like brain inflammation and pneumonia. Measles can affect anyone, however, it is most commonly seen in children.
Symptoms of measles
Here are some of the common symptoms of measles.
- High fever
- Tiredness
- Barky cough
- Red or bloodshot eyes
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- White spots in your mouth
- Muscle pain
- Sensitivity to light.
Cleveland Clinic says that symptoms of measles usually develop about eight to 12 days after you're exposed to the measles. However, it can also take up to 21 days to develop symptoms after exposure.
Complications of measles
Here are some of the complications of measles.
- Ear infections
- Dehydration from severe diarrhoea
- Bronchitis
- Laryngitis
- Pneumonia
- Blindness
- Brain swelling (encephalitis)
- Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare but fatal nervous system infection that happens years after a measles infection
- Measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE), brain inflammation that can happen, most often in people with compromised immune systems, days to years after having measles
- Death.
If you have measles while pregnant, your baby could be born early (preterm birth) or have low birth weight.
Prevention of measles
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says, "Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus."
There are two different types of vaccines that provides protection against measles. One is the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and the other is the measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccine.