Copyright WDIV ClickOnDetroit
Canada has lost its measles elimination status following a year-long outbreak that resulted in over 5,000 cases and two infant deaths. Health officials are now warning that the United States could face a similar situation as the disease spreads across North America amid declining vaccination rates. The World Health Organization uses three distinct labels to describe levels of infectious disease control. A disease is considered “controlled” when interventions like vaccines have significantly lowered the rate of new infections. The next level, “eliminated,” means new cases only occur in small outbreaks triggered by international travelers bringing the illness into the country. The highest designation, “eradicated,” is achieved when several years pass without any cases occurring anywhere. Smallpox remains the only disease to reach eradication status. The loss of elimination status in the U.S. would indicate that measles has regained a foothold and is spreading within the country, rather than just through imported cases. This situation can occur when vaccination rates fall below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity. Data shows that some areas in the United States already have vaccination rates as low as the low 80 percent range, and these regions have experienced sustained outbreaks. Health officials view this trend as symptomatic of a broader issue: declining trust in vaccines.
