The West Virginia Department of Health said the state has just discovered its first case of measles since 2009 as the number of illnesses has increased in the U.S.
The only other detail officials recorded about the case is that the person was a Monongalia County resident. Officials did not say if the person recovered from the illness. From 2010 through 2021, U.S. vaccination rates largely held steady for children at 24 months. As of 2021, 90.8% of children were vaccinated against measles, the CDC said. “The threat of measles exposure in the United States has been growing over the last decade. We strongly encourage individuals to follow the CDC’s immunization schedule and get their children fully vaccinated as soon as they are able,” said Dr. Matthew Christiansen, West Virginia State health officer.