Seattle & King County issued an alert to the public that an adult with a proven case of contagious measles had passed through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on their way back from a trip to Europe.
The CDC had already warned public health authorities that the number of measles cases in the United States this year had already exceeded the total for 2023.
The contagious adult’s uncertain measles vaccination status was not known, as stated in the Seattle & King County warning, which also said the person passed through the airport in mid-May.
Health officials have determined that the Arizona individual likely became infected while visiting in Europe. The agency failed to provide any details on the traveler’s intended country or countries of destination.
A CDC notice to public health authorities said that the number of U.S. measles infections this year has already equaled the whole of 2023, which led to the health panic at the international airport.
The CDC went on to say that 54 out of 58 cases were associated with foreign travel in 2024 and that other countries, including popular tourist spots like the UK, the Philippines, and Austria, are now seeing measles outbreaks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles is a very infectious virus to those who have not been vaccinated and may lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death.
Foreign nationals from nations with less developed healthcare systems are reintroducing measles to the US, which was once on the brink of eradicating the disease.
The enrollment of children by illegal immigrants in U.S. schools poses a unique threat to American children. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), the primary route of entry for measles into the United States is illegal migration. They anticipate that incidences of measles will persist in this fashion. The problem is that political leaders aren’t doing anything to prevent these imports.
The measles epidemic that broke out at a Chicago migrant shelter in March 2024 brought attention to the public health risks associated with unrestricted illegal immigration. There are more potential points of infection and transmission in densely populated urban areas, and many illegal migrants arrive from nations where immunizations are either not offered or are inadequately protected. Outbreaks of measles have been discovered in Venezuela and have spread to countries where Venezuelans have visited.
