As the number of measles cases continue to rise in the United States, more Iowa families are exempting their kids from vaccinations, including in Iowa City.
The U.S. is facing its second-largest outbreak of measles since the virus was virtually eliminated in the country nearly 20 years ago. Some 465 cases in 2019 had been identified as of April 4, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Currently, unvaccinated travelers from outside the U.S. are the source of U.S. measles cases.
While there have been no cases of measles in Iowa since 2011, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health, Midwestern states Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri have reported cases this year, according to the CDC.
