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On Thursday, Grant County, located on the northern border of Stevens County, reported three confirmed cases of a viral outbreak that are linked to the initial case identified in Stevens. Notably, Grant County appears to be better equipped to manage the situation compared to its neighbors, as the Ulysses school district reported a remarkable 100 percent vaccination rate among kindergartners for the 2023–2024 school year.
Outbreak Concerns
Information surrounding the rapid increase in cases remains limited. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has not released any updates regarding these cases since March 13. Attempts by Ars Technica to obtain additional details from KDHE have been unanswered up to the time of this report.
A local news outlet, KWCH 12 News, initially reported on Thursday that there were six confirmed cases in Grant and Stevens Counties, all involving unvaccinated individuals, with no hospitalizations noted. However, the following day, KWCH updated its report, indicating that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 10, prompting the health department to classify the situation as an outbreak.
Measles is known to be an extremely contagious virus, capable of remaining in both air and surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has vacated the area. Among unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus, there is a 90 percent likelihood of infection.
Nationwide vaccination rates have declined, leading to pockets of low immunity which are susceptible to swift and challenging outbreaks. Historically, high rates of vaccination have mitigated such risks, and in the year 2000, the virus was declared eliminated in the U.S., indicating there had been no sustained spread over a yearly period. However, experts are now alarmed at the potential loss of this elimination status, which could result in measles becoming endemic again in the United States.
As of March 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented 378 measles cases for the year, although this number is already outdated.
In Texas, as of Friday, the health department has reported 309 cases related to an ongoing outbreak. Consequently, 40 individuals have required hospitalization, and tragically, one unvaccinated child with no pre-existing medical issues has succumbed to the illness. This outbreak has also affected neighboring states, with New Mexico reporting an increase to 42 cases, which includes two hospitalizations and the death of an unvaccinated adult. In Oklahoma, there are currently four confirmed cases.
Source
arstechnica.com