Central Ohio is the epicenter of a sizable measles outbreak in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of 117 cases reported nationwide, Franklin County, Ohio, accounted for 82. That’s 70% of the total nationwide case count, according to data from the CDC and Columbus Public Health.
The cases were entirely in children under 18, and the majority occurred in children ages 1 to 5. The cases were heavily distributed among the unvaccinated. Ninety percent of those infected had received no doses of the measles vaccine. Four cases were in people reporting just one dose and four were of unknown vaccination status.
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“It’s very frustrating, knowing that it’s preventable with a vaccine — a safe, effective, accessible vaccine,” Columbus Public Health Commissioner Mysheika Roberts told Axios.
Of those infected, 32 had to be hospitalized. No deaths have been reported so far.
The outbreak in Franklin is particularly notable, as before the outbreak, there hadn’t been a single case of measles in nearly 20 years. The first cases were recorded in October, and numbers shot up in November. The outbreak shows no signs of subsiding.
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Measles is characterized by a high fever, rash, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and tiny white spots in the mouth, according to the CDC. It can be deadly for young children and babies.
