Monday, July 6, 2009

Measles outbreak in Brooklyn; more common in U.S.

From CBS 2:

New York City health officials are urging parents to vaccinate their children against measles after 11 cases of the highly contagious disease were identified in Brooklyn.

City health officials say most of the cases identified over the past two months were among children.

The virus can cause symptoms ranging from fever and rash to diarrhea and ear infections.

Some children may need to be hospitalized because of complications including pneumonia.

The illness typically begins with a rash on the face, which can spread to the rest of the body.

City health officials say children should be vaccinated at one year of age.

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From the accompanying video:

Doctors at LIJ are saying they are seeing more cases of measles in the United States than in the past. Often times, people from other countries are bringing it in.

"We haven't have this many measles cases since about 20 years ago. So I have a feeling a lot has to do with globalization - more people coming in from countries where vaccination is not so widespread as it is here in this country," said Dr. Carl Mealie of LIJ. According to Dr. Mealie, the U.S. has seen 127 cases of measles so far this year. Typically, there are between 20 and 50 cases in an entire year.

6 comments:

Taxpayer said...

"...lot has to do with globalization - more people coming in from countries where vaccination is not so widespread as it is here in this country,..."

Reasonable people would conclude that, with LEGAL entry to the US, an applicant's health history MUST be evaluated before permission from this country is given.

Oh! Wait! That is the law right now. Illegal aliens carry all sorts of diseases because they have never seen a doctor before.

Oh! Wait! That's one of the reasons for their illegal entry. To sit in emergency rooms, picking up and passing along all sorts of illnesses.

At our expense.

If they're not in our hospitals at our expense, they're in our prisons at our expense, again, exchanging their illnesses.

If they're not behind bars or in hospitals, they're mixing germs at jobs they took from Americans - who cannot afford to pay for their own health care because they are having to pay for all the needs of the illegal aliens.

Anonymous said...

No it is more than that. American parents are routinely skipping necessary vaccinations because hair-brained quacks have convinced them that all of these diseases have been eradicated, and that the vaccines are more dangerous than the supposedly extinct disease.

Complications of measles include: birth defects, destruction of the fetus, and possibility of encephalitis.

In rare cases, measles can remain in the body and reactivate, much like chicken pox and cause resulting damage later.

I intend to take this up with my doctor since I have natural immunity from getting the disease. I have never been vaccinated. A discussion with a physician is in order for all before this one gets going.

linda said...

measles is not a joke... and i really hope bloomturd is on top of this one!

Anonymous said...

it has more to do with these idiot parents who refuse to vaccinate...and you'll find a lot of these self-congratulating psycho parents in brownstone brooklyn neighborhoods

Anonymous said...

No it is more than that. American parents are routinely skipping necessary vaccinations because hair-brained quacks have convinced them that all of these diseases have been eradicated, and that the vaccines are more dangerous than the supposedly extinct disease.

This is true to some extent, but you can't enroll your kid in school without proof of immunizations - but you can sneak in illegaly!

Bill said...

Measles is a highly contagious disease and can cause severe complications like encephalitis and death. The danger of spread is greatest among unvaccinated groups. Measles does not reactivate like smallpox. The best defense is vaccination for you and your children, particularly if you don't have a history of natural disease or prior vaccination.