Measles cases are surging in various parts of the world, highlighting the critical importance of measles vaccinations. The highly contagious virus is primarily transmitted through coughing and sneezing, causing symptoms such as fever, runny nose, and a distinctive red-brown rash. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that one dose of the MMR vaccine provides protection to approximately 95 out of every 100 individuals, while two doses offer even higher protection, ranging from 97 to 99 out of every 100 people.
Experts attribute the recent increase in measles cases abroad to the significant number of unvaccinated individuals and the highly contagious nature of the disease, which ranks among the most infectious diseases globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 941 measles cases in the WHO European Region in 2022. Shockingly, this number skyrocketed to over 42,000 by the end of December 2023, as stated in the mid-December bulletin.
“The recent rise in measles cases abroad is concerning,” said Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester pediatrician Jaisal K. Pragani, MD. “Measles vaccination rates have dropped across the world since the start of the pandemic and we are seeing the effects of that in some countries among the unvaccinated. To me, this uptick in cases underscores the importance of getting your children vaccinated no matter where you are.”
The United Kingdom has been sounding warning bells concerning the rise in measles cases, with over 300 reported between October and January. The Health Security Agency warns that the virus poses a significant risk of further spreading among the unvaccinated population. Researchers in the UK attribute this surge to a low uptake of the measles vaccine, as recent data from the National Health Service (NHS) reveals that only about 85% of children in England received the recommended two MMR vaccine doses by the age of 5. This falls below the WHO's recommended vaccination rate of at least 95% to achieve herd immunity, which substantially reduces disease transmission.
While the United States has been relatively unaffected by the global measles outbreak, recent isolated outbreaks among unvaccinated individuals in some states have raised concerns among medical experts. Between December 1, 2023, and January 23, 2024, there were 23 confirmed cases of measles in the country. Alarming trends in vaccination rates have been observed, as the national MMR vaccination rate among kindergarten students fell below the Healthy People 2030 target of 95% for the second consecutive year. In 2021 through 2022, approximately 93% of kindergarteners received all state-required vaccines, including MMR, DTaP, and varicella, marking the lowest reported MMR rate in nearly a decade. Consequently, around 250,000 school children remain unvaccinated and vulnerable to measles.
Specifically, New Hampshire and Vermont have fallen below the national MMR vaccination average, with rates of 88.7% and 93.4%, respectively, according to CDC data compiled by the independent research organization KFF. Both states have yet to meet the Healthy People target.
“We have seen drops in vaccination rates in New Hampshire as well,” notes Pragani, pointing to a report by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services suggesting that many children and adults fell behind on receiving recommended routine vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All this is not to say that the US will experience what is happening in England or elsewhere where cases may be more concentrated due to population density of unvaccinated people,” said Pragani. “But as a pediatrician, my message has not changed. Get your children vaccinated.”
While the situation demands attention, it is crucial not to panic, especially if your children have been vaccinated. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that a high fever accompanied by a red or brownish blotchy rash is the most recognizable symptom of measles, although other symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, and red, watery eyes may precede the rash. For more information on protecting your children during a measles outbreak, refer to the resources provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and largest private employer, serves patients across New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,300 providers in nearly every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH. Its network of hospitals, outpatient centers, clinics and home care facilities, spans a broad geographical area. Year after year, DHMC is named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is consistently recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, northern New England’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of less than than 60 total nationally; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital, the Golisano Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Health, and more than 20 locations around the region; eight member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene, Claremont, Hampstead, and New London, NH, and Windsor and Bennington, VT; Dartmouth Health Home Care; Dartmouth Health Connected Care Center for Telehealth, serving patients as far away as Texas; and more than 30 primary and multi-specialty clinics across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its partnership with Dartmouth College, Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and the White River Junction VA Medical Center, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials with international impact. Dartmouth Health and its more than 16,000 employees are committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in the communities it serves and to providing every patient with exceptional, state-of-the-art, personalized care. Learn more at dartmouth-health.org.
About Dartmouth Health Children's
Dartmouth Health Children’s is the most comprehensive pediatric healthcare system in the region and the first integrative medicine children’s health system in the country. Dartmouth Health Children’s is fully integrated in Dartmouth Health and anchored in Lebanon, NH, by Dartmouth Health’s Golisano Children’s Hospital (also a member of the nationwide Golisano Children’s Alliance): home of the highest acuity neonatal intensive care unit and only pediatric intensive care unit in New Hampshire, along with the only adolescent medical-psychiatry unit in northern New England. Through a unique partnership with the state of New Hampshire at Hampstead Hospital, Dartmouth Health Children’s also provides the state’s only inpatient psychiatric care for children and adolescents. Dartmouth Health Children’s advances knowledge through groundbreaking research and education as the primary pediatric partner of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and delivers the best patient- and family-centered care for infants, children, and adolescents in a range of settings across New Hampshire and Vermont. Outpatient specialty visits and same-day surgery services are available at Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics in Manchester, NH, with pediatric primary care at nearly every Dartmouth Health member location.