Philly can breathe a sigh of relief as health officials announce the end to a scary bout with measles that grasped the city between December and January. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health declared the outbreak over on Tuesday, after the virus affected a total of nine individuals— a figure which could have been far worse, experts say.
According to a CBS News report, six of the cases were in children, with the rest in adults. The outbreak led to hospitalization for six of the Philadelphia cases, but the individuals have since been released after treatment. The very real threat of a more widespread outbreak seems to have been largely kept in check due to the fact that 93% of Philadelphians were up-to-date on their MMR vaccine, a precaution that was crucial in preventing the virus to quickly spread further.
Dr. Landrus Burress, Director of Disease Control at the Health Department, praised the community's response in statements obtained by both NBC Philadelphia and 6ABC. "In the past, Philadelphia has suffered from extensive measles outbreaks,” Burress said. “Thanks to quick work by our staff and collaboration with healthcare and childcare systems throughout the region, we were able to keep this outbreak small and quickly resolved."
Measles is a highly contagious virus that experts warn can lead to serious consequences. While many might shrug off symptoms akin to that of a bad cold—such as fever, runny nose, and cough—measles have the potential to ruthlessly escalate into pneumonia, brain infection, or even death. The small outbreak is a timely reminder of the importance of vaccination efforts, which have played a crucial role in ensuring the health and safety of the population. It was only through the collective effort and responsibility of the city's residents that Philadelphia managed to quickly quash what could have easily turned into a full-blown health disaster. A sentiment echoed by health officials who are undeniably grateful to those who have "safely gotten their routine MMR vaccination, you helped keep us safe."
