Measles cases in the U.S. hit a 35-year high after being 'eliminated'
Remember when the CDC officially declared measles wiped out in the U.S. back in 2000? Well, that aged poorly.
Back in 2000, public health officials basically popped champagne and declared measles eliminated in the U.S. Fast forward to today, and the virus is throwing a massive comeback tour across the country. More cases have popped up in the last two years than in the previous two decades combined.
In fact, the U.S. has officially surpassed last year's record count, and health officials are meeting this fall to decide whether to formally revoke America's 'measles-free' status. Experts describe the virus as a heat-seeking missile finding unvaccinated pockets in places like Utah, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.
To make matters wilder, local health departments are so underfunded that San Francisco's team admitted standard contact tracing for just two cases almost completely maxes out their available staff.
It turns out declaring victory over a highly contagious disease only works if people keep getting the shot.
Source: CNN
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