As of April 23rd, two measles cases were confirmed in the greater New Orleans area, Louisiana, about 3.5 hours' drive from Mississippi. Measles is highly contagious and can linger in the air for hours after someone coughs or sneezes. People are contagious before a rash appears. It is estimated that 90% of non-immune people will get measles after close contact with a contagious person. As measles cases continue to rise, more people are living within a day’s drive of a case. Vaccination remains the best protection against measles.

Measles cases in the U.S. are still increasing as of April 27th. Measles is considered one of the most contagious viruses in the world, and is especially dangerous to children under 5 and older adults.

Most people who are not vaccinated will get measles if they come into contact with someone who has the virus. Children younger than 1 are typically not yet vaccinated for measles, which makes them particularly at risk.

It is recommended that babies receive the first dose of the MMR vaccine between 12-15 months, and a second dose at 4-6 years of age. In circumstances where exposure to measles is more likely infants between 6-12 months of age can receive the vaccine. The vaccine is less effective at this age, so babies vaccinated before the age of 1 should receive two doses on the recommended schedule after the age of 1.

In rare cases where a person with a MMR vaccine has had a breakthrough measles infection, the cases are more mild and the person is less contagious than if they were not vaccinated. The majority of people in the U.S. who have gotten measles this year are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.

The reported case count for measles is likely lower than how many cases there actually are due to some cases not being reported to the health department.