WASHINGTON, DC — AS countries across the Americas observe Vaccination Week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging vigilance and renewed vaccination efforts amid a rising number of measles cases in the United States—a key source market for Caribbean tourism.
The U.S. has seen a steady increase in cases of the highly contagious disease, prompting concern among regional and global health officials. Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO and the World Health Organization (WHO), warned that the current outbreak could lead to further international spread, particularly in areas where vaccination rates have declined.
"...that not just applies to the U.S., but of course, it applies to the European countries,” Dr Barbosa said during a recent press conference in Washington, DC, responding to a question from SKNVibes. “In other continents or regions, it can happen - the spread of the virus. So of course, that's why it is truly important, as I was mentioning before, that all the systems, the surveillance systems must be very, very adjusted, very ready to detect any case.”
PAHO emphasized that early detection is critical in preventing widespread outbreaks. Dr. Barbosa highlighted the need for regional health systems to invest in training and upskilling healthcare workers to recognize measles symptoms early.
"So that's why it is important to train the health care workers to identify any kind of suspect cases of measles." he explained. "Remembering that measles, it has a rash, but before that rash that starts in the head and spreads all over the body, you have fever, you have runny nose, you have conjunctivitis, and you have cough. And that occurs probably three to two days before the onset of rash."
The current outbreak began earlier this year in Texas and has since spread to at least 29 other U.S. states, including Alaska, California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. As of Thursday, April 24, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 884 confirmed cases nationwide.
Dr. Barbosa also stressed the importance of community-level communication to encourage individuals to report early symptoms.
"At the same time, it is important to promote communication actions at a community level, so that all the people can really go to the doctor, go to a nurse, and tell them that their child, or if it is an adolescent or an adult, is experimenting any kind of rash and fever, and so that the investigation can take place and the control of the outbreak can be timely. That plays a huge difference in terms of not having reintroduction.
He added that while the rising number of U.S. cases is concerning, the Americas have not yet lost their measles-free status.
