A measles outbreak that started in a patient at Philadelphia’s top children’s hospital has already sickened as many as six patients — with health officials fearing more could be infected.
Three unvaccinated pediatric patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an unvaccinated parent tested positive for the highly contagious virus after an infected hospitalized child spread the disease to two other hospitalized children.
In addition, after a patient ignored quarantine orders and went to day care last month, at least two other patients are also being monitored for suspected infections.
Experts say people who contract the disease are not vaccinated against measles, so the risk to those who are vaccinated is low.
People who have not been vaccinated are strongly recommended to be vaccinated against measles, as it is more than 97 percent effective against infection with the virus.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that kills up to 15 percent of those infected.
Three children and one parent at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (pictured) tested positive for measles. It took two days to diagnose the first patient, and then the virus spread to two others
“We are seeing cases of measles that have spread to vulnerable people, including young children,” said Dr. City Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole.
‘[This is] because people refuse the vaccination and do not follow the quarantine recommendations.”
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases of all, causing infection through small droplets in the air or through contact with infected surfaces.
Patients experience flu-like symptoms in the early stages before the appearance of a characteristic rash that usually diagnoses the disease.
The disease is especially dangerous for children under five, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
The outbreak occurred when a child with flu-like symptoms who had recently returned from a country where measles is common was admitted to CHOP late last month, local reports said.
It took two days for the characteristic rash to appear, which then led to the diagnosis of measles – by which time two patients in neighboring rooms were already infected.
For the 2022-2023 school year, three percent of kindergarten children had a vaccination exemption from one or more mandatory vaccinations. This is a 2.6 percent increase in the 2021-2022 school year and the highest the US has ever recorded
The map above shows vaccine exemption rates by state for the 2022-2023 school year and highlights the five states with the highest exemption rates
Other cases include a child who was too young to be vaccinated and a child whose parents refused to have their child vaccinated.
One of the parents of the unvaccinated child also later tested positive for the virus.
CHOP officials say patients are quarantined for at least 21 days until their symptoms subside, making it “absolutely safe” for people to visit the hospital.
Health officials in Philadelphia are monitoring people who may have been exposed after visiting four hospitals in the city: CHOP, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Nazareth Hospital and Jefferson Health.
They are also calling parents whose children attended childcare at the Multicultural Education Station in Philadelphia between December 20 and 21.
Measles was once widespread in the United States, but the introduction of vaccines led to the disease being declared eradicated in the United States in 2000.
CDC Warns 270,000 Children Enter Kindergarten Unvaccinated in 2022
More than a quarter of a million preschool children enter school without receiving recommended childhood vaccinations
About 1,200 cases of measles are diagnosed annually in the United States—often associated with international travel to countries where measles remains endemic.
Two doses of the vaccine against the disease – called the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine – are 97 percent effective against infection with the virus.
Patients will be offered the first dose between 12 and 15 months of age, while the second dose will be given at least 28 days later.
Adults can also receive the vaccine and will receive two doses spread over at least 28 days.
Dr Bettigole added: “Children under 12 months and adults with weakened immune systems remain vulnerable to measles but are generally protected by the wall of immunity provided by high vaccination rates in the community.”
“If you have not been vaccinated against measles or your children 12 months and older have not been vaccinated, contact your doctor immediately to do so.”
“If you or your child has been exposed to measles, follow public health guidelines to prevent more children from becoming infected.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of declining vaccination rates and says more than a quarter of a million unvaccinated children attended school last year.
The data showed seven percent of children were not up to date on vaccinations and were above the target of five percent or less.
At the same time, the percentage of children “exempted” from school vaccinations continues to rise – to a record high.
Experts say anti-vaccine sentiment fueled by the Covid pandemic is causing the number of people avoiding vaccines to rise and vaccine fatigue.
Last February, an outbreak also occurred in central Ohio, resulting in 85 cases, mostly among children who were not fully vaccinated.
And last October, health officials in Idaho also reported cases of the disease.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
