Wisconsin Measles Cases Climb to 263, Fourth-Highest in U.S.; Outbreak Source Still Unconfirmed
Wisconsin is experiencing one of the largest measles outbreaks in the United States this year. According to the state Department of Health Services, measles cases in four southwestern counties now total 244, bringing the statewide count for the year to 263, with 20 new cases reported in the week since Oct. 2.
By the states' latest case counts, Wisconsin has the fourth-highest measles total this year, after Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Utah. The outbreak is concentrated in Grant, Iowa, Lafayette and Vernon counties in the southwest, while a smaller number of cases linked to out-of-state travel have been confirmed in the northern counties of Chippewa and Marathon.
Local and state health officials have not confirmed the source of the outbreak. DHS spokesperson Jennifer Miller said some cases have reported train travel, and health officials in other states have reported measles exposures and cases stemming from infected passengers aboard Amtrak trains, including routes through Wisconsin. "While reported case counts can help us understand how the outbreak is progressing, they may not capture every infection," Miller said in an email. "Cases are primarily identified when people seek medical care and their providers report suspected or confirmed cases to public health agencies."
All but two cases involve people who have not been vaccinated. Public health officials say breakthrough infections in vaccinated people are rare and that vaccination remains the best protection. Five people have been hospitalized in Wisconsin this year; no deaths have been reported. Vaccines are available through doctors' offices, pharmacies, health departments and pop-up community clinics, with programs available for those unable to pay.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Whispyhistory 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）
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