Measles virus as shown through an electron micrograph. | Wikimedia Commons / Cynthia S. Goldsmith
Measles virus as shown through an electron micrograph. | Wikimedia Commons / Cynthia S. Goldsmith
A "migrant center" in Chicago is experience an outbreak of measles, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been dispatched to help with the city's first outbreak of the disease in five years.
“NEW: CNN reports the CDC is arriving in Chicago today to help the city with its first measles cases since 2019,” Fox News reporter Bill Melugin posted on X on Tuesday. “Five cases have been identified in this outbreak so far, four of which are adults and children inside of a migrant shelter in the city.”
According to CNN, a CDC team has arrived in Chicago to assist local officials in managing a measles outbreak linked to a migrant shelter. The outbreak, which includes eight confirmed cases, prompts urgent vaccination efforts and public health measures.
Amid concerns of a potential spread, health authorities emphasize the importance of vaccination and monitoring for symptoms. The situation highlights broader challenges in maintaining vaccination rates and preventing infectious diseases despite previous successes in measles elimination.
ABC Chicago reported that the CDC’s deployment comes after the measles outbreak in Chicago intensified to 12 cases, with 10 linked to a migrant shelter in Pilsen.
Among those infected are two Chicago Public Schools students, prompting quarantine measures at their respective schools.
As part of containment efforts, 98 migrants from 26 households were placed in quarantine at a nearby hotel.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has recently warned that while measles cases are rare in Chicago due to high childhood vaccination rates, there has been a recent increase in global and U.S. reports of measles cases.
Measles is extremely contagious and poses a significant risk to unvaccinated individuals, particularly infants and young children. Individuals who are uncertain about their measles vaccination status should reach out to their healthcare provider for guidance.
Some elected officials like Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson have been vocal about health concerns among illegal immigrants. In one incident, an outbreak of scabies occurred among a group of illegal immigrants who were dropped off at a La Quinta in Elk Grove Village, according to North Cook News.
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