U.S. CDC issues advisory after confirmed measles case in Kentucky
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[March 04, 2023]
(Reuters) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
said on Friday it was issuing a health alert advisory to notify clinics
and public health officials to be watchful after a case of measles was
confirmed at a large gathering in Kentucky.
On Feb. 24, the Kentucky Department for Public Health identified a
confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated individual with a history
of recent international travel, the CDC said.
While infected, the individual attended a large religious gathering on
Feb. 17–18, with an estimated 20,000 people there from other states and
countries, the national agency said.
Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses and is almost
entirely preventable through vaccination. However, it requires 95%
vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks among populations.
The CDC said doctors should consider measles as a diagnosis with anyone
with clinically compatible symptoms. The agency also asked physicians to
recommend measles, mumps and rubella shots for patients who are
unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.
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![](../images/030423PIX/health47.jpg)
A general view of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta,
Georgia September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Tami Chappell
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Mar/04/images/ads/current/castlemanor_sda_FINANCIAL_2017.png) The advisory also recommends
healthcare professionals to immediately notify local or state health
departments about any suspected case of measles to ensure rapid
testing following the CDC's testing recommendations.
In November, the CDC and the World Health Organization said that
there is now an imminent threat of measles spreading in various
regions globally, as COVID-19 led to a steady decline in vaccination
coverage and weakened surveillance of the disease.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
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