At least 228 cases of measles have been reported across the United States since Jan. 1, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.
Georgia is among 12 states with reported cases. At least 3 cases were reported there in January. The affected states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The data is compiled from information provided to the CDC by health departments across the country.
Number of measles cases reported per year.So far, this is the third-largest outbreak in the last decade. More than 660 people became ill in 2014 and 372 in 2018.
The CDC says these outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel and Ukraine, where large measles outbreaks are occurring.
Measles can be prevented with a vaccination. It is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person, according to the CDC, and can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.