LEBANON – Previously considered eradicated in the United States by the World Health Organization due to successful vaccine efforts, measles has resurged in the U.S. and is currently spreading in multiple states. A highly contagious infectious disease, measles can cause serious complications like pneumonia, ulcers and scarring on the cornea, seizures, blindness and encephalitis which can lead to permanent brain damage and, in some cases, death. Two unvaccinated Americans have died as a result of the current outbreak.

“It’s alarming and undeniably clear that measles is making a comeback globally and nationally,” said Gabriela M. Andujar Vazquez, MD, hospital epidemiologist at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. “Vaccination rates against numerous diseases continue to decrease across the U.S., including the proven safe and effective measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Most states are below the 95 percent threshold for kindergarteners, which is the percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks.”

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