US kids get measles after travelling abroad
May 6th, 2011 - 9:52 am ICT by IANSNew York, May 6 (IANS) A growing number of US kids have been infected with measles after travelling abroad, health officials said.
Up to 39 percent of measles cases in the US originate in Europe. Cases of such measles among kids were under investigation, said officials from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
So far this year, there have been 89 cases of measles reported in the US.
The centre has asked families who travel or live abroad to get their children vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella, Xinhua reported.
In the US, measles was eradicated in 2000. But it remains a threat in other countries. Measles hot spots include southern Asia, the Far East, and Africa.
“In the last 15 years or so, there’s been a lot of cases in Britain, although their numbers are actually down relatively this year,” said Gregory Armstrong of the CDC.
“There are more cases in Switzerland and France this year than we’ve seen previously.”
Measles symptoms include bloodshot eyes, cough, fever, and a rash that typically starts on the head. Some cases can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia.
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Tags: armstrong, bloodshot eyes, cdc, center for disease control, center for disease control and prevention, cough, disease control and prevention, europe, far east, fever, health officials, hot spots, measles symptoms, mumps, pneumonia, rash, rubella, southern asia, switzerland, xinhua