Elimination of the disease measles happened two decades ago in the United States. Now, the tolls of measles case is rising because of people traveling abroad or visitors bringing measles from another country. Based on the data that the Centers for Disease Control have collected, this year at least 764 cases across 23 states have been reported. Unvaccinated people and children under age 4 are the two groups that have suffered the most from this disease.

Measles spread very quickly through coughing and sneezing which is why it spreads through communities with lower vaccination rates. However, if people are vaccinated but still come in contact with measles, they will become infected. Children around 12 months old receive the first of the two-dose vaccination in which one dose of the vaccine is 93% effective while two doses are 97% effective in preventing the infection.

As per public health officials, “A child who flew to the United States from Israel brought measles into Brooklyn, and then an infected member of that community drove to Michigan, creating an outbreak there.” Moreover, outbreaks have branched out from Brooklyn to parts of New York, Connecticut and Baltimore County.  

Travel is one of the factor that causes the spread of measles quickly from one community to another. Measles outbreaks is seen in Los Angeles this year. This caused because of a traveler from Vietnam and Thailand. In addition, California’s largest outbreak is near Sacramento which “came from a visitor to the Philippines” said State Health officials.