Measles: Should I Freak Out? Maybe.

We’re hearing about measles outbreaks all over. Several cases in the US. Should I be freaked out? The short answer is: maybe. Here’s the complete scoop.

April 23, 2024

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Special Report: Measles Outbreak in the US

We’re hearing about measles outbreaks all over. Several cases in the US. Should I be freaked out? The short answer is: maybe. Here’s the complete scoop.

What is measles?

Measles is a disease caused by the measles virus. It can lead to serious and sometimes fatal complications. The symptoms include a high fever and a rash. The rash usually appears 3-5 days after the first symptoms and starts on the head and spreads down the body.

From the CDC: Skin of a patient after three days with measles rash. Source: CDC/PHIL

Other symptoms include cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. You can also develop white spots on the inside of the cheeks, called Koplik spots.

From the CDC: “This was a patient who presented with Koplik’s spots on palate due to pre-eruptive measles on day three of the illness.” Source: CDC/PHIL

The most serious complications include pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), deafness, blindness, and death.

How do you get measles?

Measles is extremely infectious. It’s passed airborne (meaning, you breathe the same infected air particles as someone who has it and you’ll get it).

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If an infected person walks into a room, coughs, and leaves. Two hours later, a second person can walk into the same room and still get infected.

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