Health officials in North Carolina are sounding the alarm as a measles outbreak continues to gain momentum across the state.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Wednesday that the case count has now reached 15, marking a significant escalation since the first infections were detected late last year. The state also recorded its first hospitalization linked to the virus during this current surge.
The data reveals a troubling trend among the state’s youth, as nearly all of those infected are children under the age of 18. While cases have popped up in half a dozen counties, Buncombe County is currently seeing the most activity. Investigators have traced the roots of the spike back to travel, specifically noting connections to a large-scale outbreak currently unfolding in South Carolina.
A major concern for doctors is that about three-quarters of the patients were entirely unvaccinated against the virus. Because measles is one of the most contagious diseases on the planet, state health leaders are worried that the virus is finding easy targets in communities with lower immunity levels.
The situation has prompted the state to roll out new emergency outreach tools, including direct text alerts to residents who may have been at the same grocery stores or clinics as an infected person.
