Philadelphia blames measles outbreak on people declining vaccines, failing to quarantine

by Filip Timotija - 01/05/24 4:45 PM ET

A nurse administers a vaccine into the arm of a child. — Paul Vernon, Associated Press file
A registered nurse and immunization outreach coordinator with the Knox County Health Department, administers a vaccination to a kid at the facility in Mount Vernon, Ohio, May 17, 2019. In a report issued Nov. 23, 2022, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.

The city of Philadelphia is blaming the recent measles outbreak on people declining to get vaccinated and failing to follow quarantine recommendations, after its Department of Public Health confirmed at least four cases.

The city’s Department of Public Health has confirmed at least four cases and is investigating two other possible infections.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing cases of measles that have spread to vulnerable individuals including young children due to people declining vaccination and also failing to adhere to quarantine recommendations,” Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, wrote in a Thursday press release. “Philadelphia is a city where we believe in a duty to take care of each other.”

In the press release, the department confirmed the four cases included the index case, which is the earliest known or suspected case during an infectious outbreak.

Two of the three remaining patients have been hospitalized and released. Health officials warned the public in late December about the possible measles exposure.

Health officials are recommending that residents who may have been exposed quarantine themselves at home and away from others.

Officials said the two potential cases are in people exposed as a result of one of the confirmed cases disregarding quarantine instructions.

Even with the spread of measles in the city, health officials pointed to the high vaccination rates among its residents.

“Measles is a very dangerous virus, however Philadelphia has high vaccination rates, with at least 93% of children fully vaccinated against measles by age 6,” officials wrote in the press release Thursday. “However, ninety percent of people with close contact with an infected person will get measles if they are not vaccinated. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized.”

Measles is a virus transmitted through air by sneezing or coughing. Symptoms usually appear about a week or two after being infected. Some of them are coughing, high fever and a runny nose.

Tags Cheryl Bettigole measles Philadelphia