One of the latest locations for an outbreak is in Phoenix, Arizona. In that city, an infected lady who did not know she was infected, walked into a clinic where there were many infants and young children. Now the health officials are watching 1,000 people for the measles virus.
One reason that measles is so contagious is because an individual can become infected just by being in the room with someone who has been infected. The average person with measles will infect between 12 to 18 other people. The virus can remain active in the air for two hours after the infected person has left the room.
In California, where the measles outbreak started, some schools have sent unvaccinated children home after possible exposure. They will have to stay away for 21 days, which is the maximum incubation period of the measles virus. Disneyland and state health officials are advising people to stay away from Disney who have not been vaccinated, and this includes young children who may be especially susceptible.
While measles is not a serious problem for most people, it can cause problems. So far, about 15 to 25 percent of people in some locations have been hospitalized. Measles can develop into more serious problems such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and encephalitis.
This outbreak may be only beginning. Claire McCarthy, who is a pediatrician at the Boston Children's Hospital, stated that the measles outbreak "has the potential to get really huge."
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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/29/measles-outbreak-dangerousness/22521529/
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Graphics: Mine
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