US measles epidemic its worst of 21st century

The serious and highly contagious disease, once deemed eliminated from the country thanks to vaccines, is making a comeback against a backdrop of falling vaccination rates and growing mistrust of health authorities.

A total of 1,277 cases have been confirmed since the beginning of the year in nearly 40 of the 50 US states, with Texas accounting for over 60 percent of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins.

The total US figure is the highest since 1992.

The epidemic has so far claimed three lives -- all unvaccinated people -- including two young children. According to several experts the toll has been largely underestimated, as they expressed concern about under-reporting.

The previous measles-related infant death in the United States was in 2003, three years after measles had been declared officially eradicated thanks to vaccinations.

The last major outbreak was recorded in 2019 in Orthodox Jewish communities of New York and New Jersey, with 1,274 cases but no deaths.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or simply breathes.

US Secretary of Health Robert F Kennedy Jr is accused of having exacerbated the health crisis by stoking fears about the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine -- a highly effective shot he has falsely claimed is dangerous and contains fetal debris.

The epidemic broke out in late January in a rural area of Texas, where a vaccine-skeptical Mennonite Christian community was hit particularly hard.

This year's resurgence has also seen neighboring Canada and Mexico experience stronger-than-usual outbreaks.

More than 3,500 cases including one death have been recorded this year in Canada, the vast majority in Ontario province.

In Mexico nearly 2,600 cases and nine deaths have been recorded, according to the Pan-American Health Organization.