Maryland is declaring a measles outbreak in three counties as cases continue to rise across the state, highlighting the importance of getting immunized.
Alexandra Yont, an infectious disease physician at Children’s National Hospital, said one important reason to get immunized is that measles is one of the most contagious viruses out there.
“For every person that is infected with measles, for those without protection, so unimmunized individuals, on the order of between 10 and 13, could get or would get that illness from the one person,” Yont said, adding that it’s an “effective transmitter disease.”
Maryland’s Department of Health sent out a notice Monday, which states, “The Maryland Department of Health is declaring an outbreak of measles in St. Mary’s, Carroll and Cecil counties and the identification and investigation of 14 new confirmed cases in unvaccinated Maryland residents. No public exposures have been identified in these cases.”
Yont said while most kids who get measles recover OK, there can be serious consequences for some.
“In about 1 in 100 kids, they need to be hospitalized for pneumonia, as a result of the viral infection,” she said, adding that some children develop encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, which could lead to seizures and permanent brain damage.
Yont said there’s also a 1% to 2% mortality rate.
In addition to being a danger to children, Yont said people who are immunocompromised, such as cancer patients, are also at serious risk if they get measles.
“It’s our job and if you value human life to protect our immune-compromised vulnerable neighbors,” she said.
Yont said for children, the recommendation is to get the measles vaccine at 12 months and then again between 4 and 6 years of age.
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