South Carolina health officials are warning of “irreversible” neurological damage in children. Measles-related hospitalizations Climb in the state.
Of the 876 confirmed cases in the northern state, at least 19 people are hospitalized with serious complications.
“Some of these complications include measles encephalitis, brain inflammation, and pneumonia in children,” state epidemiologist Linda Bell said at a Feb. 4 briefing.
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Bell emphasized that this complication is particularly dangerous. young patient.
“Inflammation in the brain can have irreversible long-term effects, including developmental delays and effects on the nervous system,” experts warned.
Although the state does not systematically track all complications, pneumonia is the leading cause of measles-related deaths in young children, affecting approximately 1 in 20 infected minors, according to CDC data.
A total of 147 students are currently in quarantine at 10 K-12 schools, Bell said.
outbreak It also poses a risk to pregnant women. Because the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine cannot be administered during pregnancy, several recently exposed women required emergency treatment with immune globulin to provide “passive immunity.”
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Bell said this is “important to protect patients from a high risk of complications.” pregnant And to protect the newborn baby. ”
The measles virus is notoriously contagious and can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room, experts say.
South Carolina saw a historic surge in vaccinations in January. Spartanburg County in particular saw a 162% increase. MMR vaccination compared to last year.
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“I hope we can belong [the vaccine surge] “It is a public recognition of the threat of this disease that is prevalent in our communities and the desire to protect people from its complications,” Bell said at a news conference.
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Health officials continue to urge the public to get vaccinated, especially as new cases in the Pee Dee region suggest the virus may be spreading beyond the initial upstate cluster through “unrecognized community transmission.”
as long as encephalitis and pneumonia Bell added that he was concerned that “these are complications that we want to avoid.”
“Expanding vaccination coverage will protect those who cannot be vaccinated, including young infants, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.”
