As measles cases spread across the country, including the latest outbreak involving five children at a daycare center in the Chicago area, the disease is racking up big concerns for doctors, as well as big bills for state and local governments.
The infection from one outbreak in Disneyland has spread to at least 102 cases in 14 states, with 92 reported cases in California, the hardest hit state. Arizona is second hardest hit with seven cases.
Officials were unclear as to whether the cases at the Palatine Daycare Center in Chicago were connected to the Disneyland outbreak, but they said the public should expect to see more measles cases.
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Healthcare providers point to the public safety issues with treating a disease thought eradicated in the United States in 2000. Complications from measles can include hearing loss, pneumonia and swelling of the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one or two people out of every 1,000 people infected with the measles will die, according to the CDC.
To date, no fatalities have been reported from the outbreaks.
State health departments are responding by educating primary care providers and the public about the highly contagious disease.
Jan Emerson-Shea, vice president of External Affairs for the California Hospital Association, said she has not heard much from hospital members in the state, as most of the measles cases are being treated in doctors’ offices.
Washington State confirmed four cases of measles in 2015, with two related to the Disneyland outbreak. One sibling returned home from the amusement park and infected a brother, according to Donn Moyer, media relations manager for the Washington Department of Health. Both people were not vaccinated for measles.
In addition, other states have reported cases unrelated to the California outbreak. The highest number comes from South Dakota, with 14 cases of measles not related to the infection in California. In comparison, last year the United States experienced its highest number of measles cases in two decades, according to CDC: 644 cases as part of 20 separate outbreaks.
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However, this year’s outbreak has stirred debate over whether parents should have a choice to vaccinate their children and if states should make immunization mandatory.
For politicians eyeing a seat in the White House in 2016, the argument for mandatory immunization has become a hot button question.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said parents, “Ought to have their children vaccinated.” Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has said, “The earth is round and vaccines work.” Both statements stop short of calling for mandatory inoculations.
Rand Paul got a highly-publicized measles vaccination after being criticized – along with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – for statements saying parents should have a choice.
The several dozen people exposed to the measles at Disneyland in Anaheim, California were not vaccinated, according to the CDC. Cases from the outbreak have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington, according to the CDC.
The CDC is expected to update numbers on Monday.
Twitter: @SusanMorseHFN