Measles got a foothold in the United States this year and almost didn’t let go
In 2019, measles sickened more people in the United States than in any year since 1992. As of December 5, there were 1,276 illnesses reported in 31 states. Two outbreaks in New York accounted for the lion’s share: more than 75 percent of the cases. 22019 Top 10See full list The New York outbreaks, which began in the fall of 2018, ran almost long enough to strip the United States of its measles elimination status, which it achieved in 2000. To receive that designation from the World Health Organization, a country must go a year without the disease spreading continuously in an area within its borders. There have been U.S. outbreaks since 2000 — most notably, 667 cases in 2014 — but none had threatened to undo elimination (SN Online: 10/4/19). The outbreak in New York City ended on September 3. The other New York outbreak, in Rockland and neighboring counties, ended...