Gesundheitspolitik: Medien: USA verlieren Status als masernfreies Land

The United States has reportedly lost its status as a measles-free country after over a quarter of a century, according to numerous media reports. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) expert commission concluded that the country no longer meets the necessary criteria, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

An official announcement is expected on Tuesday. The reason is that the same strain of the measles virus has been continuously transmitted within the United States for at least twelve months. The country had been granted this status in 2000. Being classified as "measles-free" does not mean there are no infections at all, but rather that there are no sustainable chains of domestic transmission.

Over 5,400 measles cases have been reported in the U.S. this year alone. Since the beginning of last year, there have been large outbreaks of this highly contagious disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5,412 infections have been recorded as of November 12 - more than double the total from the previous year.

Several deaths have been reported in connection with measles, including those of children. Experts attribute the outbreaks mainly to declining vaccination rates. Among kindergarten children, the vaccination rate for measles-mumps-rubella fell from 95.2 to 92.4 percent within six years, according to CDC data. To prevent the sustained spread of measles, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that a vaccination rate of at least 95 percent with two doses is required.

To regain the status of a measles-free country, the U.S. would need to interrupt the ongoing transmission of the virus for at least twelve months and demonstrate this.