Wisconsin’s measles outbreak continues to grow.
The state’s Department of Health Services said more people in southwest Wisconsin have tested positive for the measles.
“The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is reporting a significant increase in measles cases associated with the outbreak in Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties – from 42 reported on Tuesday to 92 reported [on Friday]. This increase reflects ongoing transmission among people connected to previously identified cases,” DHS said in a statement.
Wisconsin is not alone in seeing measles cases this year.
The CDC said, as of Sunday, there were 2,903 confirmed cases in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
Most of those cases, 1,351, are among young people between the ages of 5 and 19 years old. The CDC said 94% of measles cases are in people who are not vaccinated.
Wisconsin’s public health managers are not saying who is sick in the state, or where the measles outbreak began. DHS, however, said it continues to investigate the outbreak.
“While the increase in cases is significant, it does not necessarily indicate an increase in exposure risk to the broader public,” DHS added. ” Federal, state, and local public health agencies continue to investigate cases of measles to identify and notify close contacts, identify potential public exposure locations and will notify the public of possible exposure locations if needed.”
DHS said all people in Wisconsin should update their vaccination status and is promoting its Measles Information Page that you can find here.
