According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Measles was eliminated in the United States in 2000, after zero virus spread for more than a year largely due to a “highly effective vaccination campaign". However, clusters in the US are still possible because the virus is not eliminated worldwide because there are several countries with active outbreaks and vaccination rates in the US also remain low, particularly among children. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health
has confirmed at least nine cases of measles over the past month after a person contracted the highly contagious virus outside the United States and exposed a parent and child at a children’s hospital. CHOP has shared information on how to protect your family. The most important thing you can do is make sure all children and adults in your household are up to date on their recommended vaccinations — all of them. Because measles is highly contagious, it’s also important for parents to take precautions with children who are either too young to be vaccinated or who cannot get the vaccine for medical reasons.