With two measles cases recently reported in Louisiana, hospitals are gearing up to treat the highly contagious disease that has seen a resurgence as vaccination rates have declined across the country. In neighboring Texas, an outbreak that started in January has seen around 600 confirmed cases and two deaths, both in unvaccinated children.
While the Texas outbreak has spread to the neighboring states of New Mexico, Kansas and Oklahoma, officials say the Louisiana cases so far don’t appear to be linked. The first case was discovered in the New Orleans area in an unvaccinated adult who had traveled internationally. When looking at the contacts of that patient, health officials uncovered another case.
Since the cases became known, public health officials have clearly and consistently recommended that children get vaccinated to prevent the spread of measles. We are grateful that despite Surgeon General Ralph Abraham declaring that the Louisiana Department of Health would end mass vaccination efforts earlier this year, it appears that the measles cases have prompted a serious response. The health department has put information about the measles vaccine on its website, and Abraham reaffirmed that the department recommends the vaccine for children…