Diseases & Outbreaks News and Discussions

[firestar464]

CDC cuts expected to devastate Epidemic Intelligence Service, a ‘crown jewel’ of public health

https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/tru ... stigators/

[wjfox]

[firestar464]

There's now 90 cases

https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/ ... eb-21-2025

[caltrek]

Measles Outbreak in U.S.
by Dylan Scott
February 25, 2025

Introduction:

(Vox) In early February, Texas health officials reported that measles was spreading (see also above post) among an insular religious community in Gaines County, Texas, where nearly 14 percent of schoolchildren have an exemption (granted in some states for reasons of conscience, including for religious beliefs) from the required childhood vaccinations. The disease has since been detected in a bordering New Mexico county. And this week, the case count grew to at least 99 people. Last year, the US saw 285 measles cases nationwide — the fourth-highest total since 2000.

The outbreak has escalated and will likely soon exceed 100 cases, just as the US’s foremost vaccine skeptic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has ascended as its top health care official.

Additional extract:

The outbreak was already underway before Kennedy was confirmed and, though it’s easy to forget after the pandemic, local authorities are taking the lead as they should. Texas health officials — and their counterparts in New Mexico, now that cases have begun to spread there — have set up mobile vaccination and testing sites, encouraging unvaccinated people to get their shots now. Because local officials are among the community they serve, they may be considered more trustworthy (and in turn they can ultimately be more effective).

If those efforts are allowed to continue unencumbered, that will be a hopeful sign that the RFK Jr.-led health department will not actively sabotage public health efforts when there is an acute crisis underway. After some observers pointed out that the CDC measles tracker had not been with the new outbreak, the web page was refreshed on Friday with a pledge to continue updating it every Friday.

So far, there is no sign that local officials have requested support from the federal government and been denied it.

Read more here: https://www.vox.com/health/401130/texa ... response

[weatheriscool]

Measles death of unvaccinated child in Texas outbreak is 1st fatality in US in a decade

Source: abc



The majority of cases have occurred among unvaccinated people.

By Mary Kekatos February 26, 2025, 11:30 AM

An unvaccinated school-aged child in Texas has died of measles, the first associated with an outbreak in the western part of the state that has infected more than 100 people.

...............

In a press release, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said the child was hospitalized in the northwestern city of Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles.

As of Wednesday, 124 cases of measles have been confirmed associated with the outbreak, according to data from DSHS.

Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, and 18 people have been hospitalized so far, DSHS said........................................

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/1st-measl ... itter_abcn

[caltrek]

RFK Jr.'s Response to Texas Measles Death Sparks Anger
by Jordan King
February 27, 2025

Extract:

(Newsweek) During a Wednesday meeting of President Donald Trump's Cabinet members, Kennedy said the Health Department was following the outbreak. He added that the situation was "not unusual" as the U.S. had "measles outbreaks every year."

Commenting on Kennedy's remarks, Dr. Neil Stone, an infectious diseases specialist, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "He downplayed it and didn't even mention vaccines. He's complicit. Shame."

Kennedy also said on Wednesday, "There are about 20 people hospitalized, mainly for quarantine." However, Dr. Lara Johnson at Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, where the child who died was being treated, said, "We don't hospitalize patients for quarantine purposes."

The health secretary appeared to misspeak when he told reporters two people had died from the outbreak. Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Health Department, later confirmed to the Associated Press that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified only one death.

Read more here: https://www.newsweek.com/rfk-jr-texas- ... -2036972

[weatheriscool]

Measles now confirmed in Kentucky


BREAKING HEALTH ALERT:

A case of measles has now been confirmed in the state of Kentucky.

The Kentucky Department of Public Health said the person had traveled internationally to an area with an ongoing measles transmission.

[firestar464]

More on that by ABC:

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/measles-c ... =119251798

[firestar464]

[weatheriscool]

Measles cases reported in New Jersey, Kentucky amid ongoing outbreak in Texas
Some of the cases were linked to international travel, officials said.
By Mary Kekatos February 27, 2025, 7:16 PM

2:04

Measles cases reported in New Jersey as officials warn outbreak may worsen With new measles cases reported from New Mexico to New Jersey, including a deadly outbreak in Texas, health officials are fighting to limit the spread of one of the world's...

More measles cases are being confirmed across the United States as health officials work to treat patients in an ongoing outbreak in Texas.

The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) and the Franklin County Health Department announced on Wednesday a confirmed case of measles in an adult resident, the first in the state in two years.

The departments said the resident recently traveled internationally to an area where measles is spreading.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, health officials confirmed two new measles cases in Bergen County linked to a patient whose case was confirmed earlier this month....................

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/measles-c ... wtab-en-us

[firestar464]

This also kind of falls under "dumbassery"

[firestar464]

RFK’s Flip-Flop on the Measles Shot Is Ripping the Anti-Vax World Apart

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... rld-apart/

[caltrek]

^^^More on that:

Measles Outbreak is Call to Action for All of Us
by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
March 2, 2025

Introduction:

(Fox News) As the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I am deeply concerned about the recent measles outbreak.
…
We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them.
…
The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.

Read more here: https://web.archive.org/web/2025030301 ... on-all-us

(Mother Jones) To describe this as a pivot for Kennedy would be an understatement.
…
Kennedy’s longtime allies and fellow travelers in the anti-vaccine movement were overjoyed by his confirmation. But they greeted his new MMR (vaccine) statements with a mixture of outrage, silence, and unusually cautious statements, seemingly waiting to hear more before denouncing Kennedy.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... d-apart/

[caltrek]

[Ken_J]

the real nightmare is the HIV/AIDS horror brewing after USAID funds to help fight it have been frozen. the quiet brewing of that will have a hell of a death toll. children born with it, those who don't know they are infected, those with it who are unable to get meds or treatment.

what next mad cow?

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

“I know I’m not[vaccinated] which is a little concerning but I should be fine,” said another student.

Are you fucking kidding me

Meanwhile back in Texas:

Health officials concerned as measles outbreak in northwest Texas grows to 159 cases

https://www.courthousenews.com/health-o ... 159-cases/

[wjfox]

“I know I’m not[vaccinated] which is a little concerning but I should be fine,” said another student.

Are you fucking kidding me

Meanwhile back in Texas:

Health officials concerned as measles outbreak in northwest Texas grows to 159 cases

https://www.courthousenews.com/health-o ... 159-cases/

[weatheriscool]

https://www.reuters.com/business/health ... 025-03-07/

March 7 (Reuters) - The New Mexico health department reported 30 measles cases in the state on Friday, an increase of 20 cases from its previous count.
All the cases were reported in Lea County, that is located adjacent to Gaines County, Texas, where more than 100 cases and one death in an unvaccinated child have been reported.