Measles cases are probably not reported in the United States as public health officials rush to find resources to address a balloon outbreak in the southwest, according to a main scientist of the centers for disease control and prevention.
So far this year, 747 cases have been registered in the United States, according to the NBC News account. Two children not vaccinated in Texas and an adult not vaccinated in New Mexico have died. The adult tested positive for measles, but the official cause of death is still under investigation.
Dr. David Sugerman, a main scientist who directs the measles response of the CDC, said Tuesday at a meeting of the CDC vaccine advisory committee that more than 90% of cases are “related to the southwest outbreak, promoted by transmission in communities near a nearby point.” The other cases have been largely imported from other countries, he said.
“We believe there are a lot of cases that are not reported and do not report,” Sugerman said on Tuesday when the measles committee updated. “When working very closely with our colleagues in Texas; when talking with families, they can mention previous cases that have recovered and have never received evidence, other families that may have cases and never sought treatment.”
Sugerman said the CDCs have deployed 15 people in Texas to help administer the outbreak and are sending seven more this week. He continues to make measles vaccines available for health departments on request, he said, and is helping to standardize and expand wastewater surveillance.
However, the CDCs cut $ 11.4 billion in Covid funds last month, some of which helped state health departments to respond to disease outbreaks. Sugerman said that the loss of money from the Covid subsidy has created “financing limitations” in Texas, where state officials are redirecting employees to work in the measles response or move them from other regions to help support efforts in the outbreak.
“We are scraping the resources and personnel necessary to provide support to Texas and other jurisdictions,” said Sugerman.
Until Tuesday, 561 cases had been confirmed at the Octure of West Texas, according to the Department of Health Services of the State of the State. Each measles case can cost between $ 30,000 and $ 50,000 to address, which “adds quite fast,” said Sugerman.
Before this year, the United States had not had a measles death in a decade, and a child had not died of measles since 2003. Many public health experts have criticized the approach of the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the outbreak. While Kennedy has asked people to obtain the measles vaccine, he has framed vaccination as a personal and emphasized choice unseeded as steroids or antibiotics. He has also repeatedly stated that the immunity of measles vaccines decreases rapidly, despite the solid evidence that two doses of the vaccine offer protection for a lifetime.
In a media event on Tuesday in Indiana, Kennedy said that the CDCs “have done a very good job to control measles outbreak,” pointing out the number of higher cases in Europe. However, the figure that cited, 127,000 cases, was the total of last year in 53 countries. Disease experts say it is a comparison of apples to Oranges with the current outbreak in the United States.
Kennedy also suggested on Tuesday that “healthy children should not die of measles” if doctors know how to treat it. Actually, a specific measles treatment is not approved, and uncon vaccinated children are vulnerable to serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain swelling. Approximately 1 to 3 out of 1,000 children with measles die of respiratory and neurological complications, according to CDC.
The CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee met Tuesday for the first time since Kennedy took office on February 13. The meeting was originally scheduled at the end of February, but the Department of Health and Human Services postponed it. A Main HHS spokesman said at the time that the delay had the goal of giving time for public comments.
Kennedy has previously accused the members of the committee of having conflicts of interest, citing ties with the pharmaceutical industry. Most scientists say it is appropriate for members to accept industry funds for vaccine research, provided that it is revealed.
Helen Keipp Talbot, who presided over the committee on Tuesday, regretted that the group had to discuss the increase in measles cases.
“It seems absolutely devastating to have this update today,” he said. “There is no reason why we have healthy children who die of measles in the US. When this vaccine is incredible. It is highly effective and has a very lasting immunity.”
