United States: The threat linked to measles has been surging with every passing day, increasing the concerns of the healthcare authorities across the United States. Health experts have emphasized that they don’t see any possible chance of a decrease in the cases linked to measles.
Recently, the US authorities mentioned that trouble has heightened after another case associated with measles was reported in Chicago. According to the health department of the city, it is the third measles case since last week.
Latest measles cases found in Chicago!
After the cases linked to measles were reported in the city, the health department released a news release addressing the concern. According to the same, the three cases have been found among the children living in migrant shelters.
As per the official report, the first case was found in a child who was living in a city-run migrant shelter, which is located in Pilsen. The gender and other specifications of the child were not shared by the health department; however, they underlined that the infected child was in good condition and was recovering.
Along with this, the news release mentioned that the second case was also reported in a child at the shelter. Besides this, the third case was found in a resident of Chicago city. Accordingly, before the first measles case was reported in Chicago, it had been measles-free since 2019.
Health Department is conducting proper scrutinizing!
The news release by the Health Department has outlined that they have been working along with their partners to screen the residents of the shelters. The experts of the department mentioned that they will be looking for vaccination status of the residents and symptoms of measles.
In addition to this, the Chicago Public Schools have also appealed the parents of the school-aged children to keep their wards at home if they are not vaccinated against the disease. The authorities also informed that the child was a student of a CPS school and the authorities and management of the school has informed the families and staff linked to the school.
A Chaos inside the shelter!
Accordingly, there is a chaotic situation inside the shelter. One of the residents of the shelter at 2241 Street Halsted St. mentioned that the health authorities woke them up at 1 am on Friday and announced that there might be a potential measles threat. Following this, the officials locked the doors and asked the people not to leave the place.
In addition to this, the migrant announced that a panic was created in the shelter. Accordingly, the migrants which were able to prove their vaccination status as vaccinated were able to leave the shelter but others were asked to stay inside the shelter.
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez’s staff went to the Pilsen Shelter on Sunday to assist the medical experts. Following this, a statement was shared by Sigcho-Lopez, which read, “It is imperative to the (Pilsen shelter) residents and Chicago residents at large to get the (measles) vaccine. Residents of the 2241 S. Halsted St. shelter who were vaccinated after Feb. 8 are strongly encouraged to remain in quarantine at the shelter for 21 days.”
Sigcho-Lopez, in the statement, mentioned that around 13 percent of residents of the shelter were unvaccinated, and the authorities have been working to vaccinate the remaining people.