Officials in Chicago have been struck with a third case of measles found in the child of an illegal alien staying in one of the Windy City’s shelters, and now, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has responded after several more cases elsewhere in the city were discovered, bringing the total to eight.
A team of CDC experts has been dispatched to Chicago after the Chicago Department of Public Health found yet another migrant with the communicable disease, CNN reported.
On Wednesday, the city reported its third case of measles and the second among children in the same migrant shelter in the Pilsen neighborhood.
Chicago officials announced that the second child with the disease has been hospitalized in good condition. The first child in the Pilsen shelter had already passed the infectious stage when his case of measles was identified:
CNN: "Three measles cases have been linked to a migrant shelter in Chicago...A team from the CDC is now on the ground in an effort to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus." pic.twitter.com/F9mVJLLftN
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) March 13, 2024
The first case reported came weeks before and has been confirmed to be out of the infectious stage. It was the first case of the disease reported in the city since 2019.
The first three cases were just the beginning. Several more cases have also now been found, these in adults.
Chicago officials announced two cases in adults in the same Pilsen shelter. Then, three more cases were found elsewhere, which brought the number of cases in the city to eight.
The CDC says it will work with city officials to help track the disease and set up a plan to mitigate the outbreak if more cases develop.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige insisted that since most Chicagoans are vaccinated, the population is mostly safe. However, measles is quite contagious, he warned.
“Because of how contagious measles is,” Ige said in a statement, “I anticipate seeing more cases. Should you be exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated you need to immediately quarantine and call a health provider. If you are not sure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your health provider as soon as possible.”
Measles, often called a “childhood disease” because children are most susceptible (but are by no means the only group at risk), begins with symptoms that include high fever, cough, red and watery eyes, and runny nose. From there, white spots may appear in the mouth, and later, a rash on the skin, according to the CDC.
Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots; this is when the disease is most contagious. It can be passed by touch as well as through the air from coughing and sneezing.
The virus can live floating around in the airspace for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area.
Measles outbreaks have exploded in the United States in 2024.
Since February 29, 41 cases have been reported in 16 U.S. states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, according to WMAQ-TV.
By comparison, only 58 cases were reported in all of 2023.
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