Measles cases continue to rise, and 17 more pediatric flu deaths have been reported, according to updates Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Measles has been confirmed in 378 people across 17 states, according to the CDC. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 309 of those come from the outbreak across the South Plains and Panhandle regions of the state. Forty-two cases have been reported in New Mexico.
This year has seen three measles outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases, and they account for 90% of the total reported cases.
No new measles deaths were reported for the week ending March 21. One unvaccinated pediatric patient in Texas with no underlying conditions died in February. The New Mexico Department of Health reported early this month that an unvaccinated state resident tested positive for measles after dying.
Patients who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown account for 95% of confirmed measles cases this year. The CDC issued a Health Alert Network advisory earlier this month recommending that all clinicians ensure their patients have gotten the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to prevent further spread of measles. MMR vaccine is given in two doses, the first at 12-15 months of age and the second at 4-6 years of age. Two doses are 97% effective against measles.
The CDC also said vitamin A may be given to pediatric patients with measles as part of supportive management, which is consistent with AAP guidance. Children with severe measles should receive vitamin A under the supervision of a health care provider.
Vitamin A is not a substitute for vaccination, and overuse can be toxic.
The CDC has confirmed cases this year in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
Influenza surveillance report
The most severe flu season since 2017-’18 continues to have elevated levels of doctors’ visits and hospitalizations despite flu activity decreasing over the past five weeks.
The 17 pediatric flu deaths reported for the week ending March 15 bring the 2024-’25 total to 151. Fifteen of those deaths were associated with influenza A and two with influenza B. Some of the deaths may have occurred as early as the week ending Dec. 21, 2024.
This season’s pediatric death toll is approaching last year’s total of 207; the 2022-’23 season had 187. Both were sharp increases from 2021-’22, which saw 49 pediatric deaths amid the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC expects several more weeks of flu activity and recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine as long as that activity continues. Flu shots typically begin to protect against infection two weeks after administration.
At least 43 million illnesses, 560,000 hospitalizations and 24,000 deaths related to the flu have been confirmed this season by the CDC.
The Food and Drug Administration last week made its recommendations to vaccine manufacturers for virus strains to be used in next season’s flu shots. The AAP urges practices to pre-book vaccines for the 2025-’26.
No new human cases of bird flu have been reported by the CDC.
