CDC team arrives in Chicago to help officials with response to measles outbreak linked to migrant shelter

 

To assist local public health officials in controlling a measles outbreak in Chicago, a team of specialists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traveled there on Tuesday.

The first measles case in the city since 2019 was reported by the Chicago Department of Public Health last week. The department stated that the patient is recuperating nicely at home.

Two separate cases of measles among youngsters at a migrant shelter housed in a sizable warehouse in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood were reported to the department on Sunday. The health authorities reported that one child has made a full recovery and is no longer infectious. Although in the hospital, the second child is doing well.

The number of cases citywide now stands at eight, as the department additionally reported two instances involving adults residing at the shelter on Monday and three more cases on Tuesday. steady state.

The CDC claims it has not dispatched staff to any other recent measles outbreaks, only sending its specialists when asked by local authorities.

The state and local health departments will collaborate closely with the CDC team to identify individuals who may be at risk of illness. The team will collaborate with local partners to train powerful community leaders and clinicians who can stress the value of vaccination, as well as offer clinical advice and assist in organizing testing. Along with providing guidelines for a vaccination campaign that would target specific schools, shelters, and other venues where people congregate, the CDC will also distribute additional vaccines to guarantee that there is a sufficient supply for adults and children.

“Most Chicagoans are immune to the measles and are therefore not at high risk; however, we highly advise all Chicagoans, including recent immigrants, to get vaccinated against the measles as soon as possible. According to a statement released on Sunday by the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige, “it is by far the best protection against measles, which is in our city for the first time in years.”

“I anticipate seeing more cases because measles is a highly contagious disease.” If you are not vaccinated, you should notify a healthcare provider and place yourself in quarantine right away if you come into contact with someone who has the measles. Stay at home and give your healthcare practitioner a call as soon as you can if you are unsure of your immunization status.

Medical system On Monday, Cook County Health announced that it was working with other regional agencies to contact patients and employees who were known to be in the neighborhood of some of the measles patients. The measles patients had visited the CCH’s Professional Building, Arlington Heights Health Center, and Stroger Hospital’s emergency room for medical attention.

The health care system stated, “We believe the risk to our staff is low, as vaccination is a requirement of employment at Cook County Health.” “The importance of vaccination in stopping the spread of the measles cannot be overstated.”

Although measles is extremely contagious and can produce severe symptoms that could result in pneumonia and other potentially fatal complications, immunization can prevent the illness from occurring.

Those who have not received the measles vaccination run the risk of becoming ill if they come into contact with contaminated surfaces or breathe in contaminated air. According to study, it can stay in the vicinity of a cough or sneeze for up to two hours.

According to the CDC, an individual can spread measles approximately four days prior to and four days following the rash that is characteristic of the virus.

Measles usually begins with a fever, usually mild to moderate, runny nose, cough, and watery, red eyes. Some people also experience digestive issues.

For infants and early children, the sickness can be very challenging.

The majority of Americans receive two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine during their childhood. The vaccine is thought to be more than 95% effective with a single dose and 97% effective with a second dose in terms of avoiding sickness following exposure.

In a statement released on Monday, the CDC stated that it “continues to recommend the safe and effective MMR vaccination as part of the routine immunization schedule for all children and adults, with special guidance for international travel.” “We’ll keep you informed as new information becomes available.”

Additionally, public health managers from Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of Illinois at Chicago have joined forces, according to the Chicago health department.

Over 900 people were vaccinated and almost all of the shelter’s residents were evaluated by medical professionals over the course of the weekend, according to the Chicago health department.

According to the health authorities, more than 700 residents were confirmed to be immune to vaccinations or infections, and they are free to come and leave. For 21 days, everyone who has not had a vaccination or who has just received one from the city must remain in quarantine and watch for symptoms.

In the course of the municipal admission procedure, Cook County Health provides medical exams to all newly arrived individuals. According to the health care system, it has treated 27,057 patients to date and provided all necessary vaccinations, such as the MMR injection.

In May, authorities stated that they anticipated a wave of immigration to coincide with the termination of Title 42, a public health decree issued during the Trump administration to curb the spread of Covid-19. The program turned into a crucial weapon that authorities employed at the US-Mexico border to send back migrants. At the time, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, warned that communities might need to keep an eye out for potential cases of infectious disease.

Health care professionals must acknowledge that, similar to previous instances, “we may have under-vaccinated people who are settling in communities, and we need to watch out for infectious threats,” the spokesperson stated.

Although measles was thought to have been eradicated in the US in 2000, incidents have been reported all throughout the nation.

45 cases had been documented in 17 different jurisdictions nationwide as of March 7, according to the CDC. In the US, there were 58 cases throughout the entire previous year.

A 2023 report from the CDC states that by the age of 2, about 92% of US children have received the MMR vaccination, which is below than the legal target of 95%.

According to CDC data, the percentage of kindergarten students who received the state-mandated measles vaccinations also stayed below the federal target for the 2022–2023 school year. Additionally, the number of youngsters receiving vaccine exemptions has risen to the greatest level ever documented in US history.

The first dose of the MMR vaccination should be given to children between the ages of 12 and 15 months, and the second dose should be given between the ages of 4 and 6 years.

Prior to the country’s measles vaccination campaign, the virus killed 400–500 people year and infected 3–4 million people annually.