THURSDAY, April 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The number of reported measles cases this year has reached 695, the highest number of reported cases since measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced yesterday.
Cases have been reported in 22 states. The CDC is attributing this record-breaking number to outbreaks in Washington state and New York. The outbreaks in New York City and New York state are considered the largest and longest-lasting outbreaks since 2000.
The CDC says the latest outbreaks started through importation. Misinformation about vaccine safety being spread in the New York communities is also a "significant factor" contributing to the outbreaks, the CDC says. Parents are encouraged to speak to their family's health care provider about vaccination, and local leaders are encouraged to provide "accurate, scientific-based information" to counteract the misinformation being disseminated.
The CDC will release updated numbers of measles cases on Monday, April 29.
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