The Virus That Knows No Borders

After more outbreaks in NJ within the past year, are other measels cases on the horizon?

- Nancy Parello

Twenty years ago, measles was declared eradicated. Now, the highly infectious disease is making an unwelcome comeback. Within one year, two measles outbreaks hit New Jersey, worrying health care providers that more cases may be on the horizon. Nationally, there were 1,249 cases in 2019, the worst year since 1992, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Right now, we don’t have an outbreak situation,’’ Dr. Tina Tan, state epidemiologist, said in an interview in October. “That definitely doesn’t mean we’re not at risk for seeing more measles cases. We have to be vigilant about keeping vaccination rates high.’’ The first outbreak in New Jersey occurred from October 2018 to January 2019 when 33 cases were confirmed. The second stretched from March to May 2019, with 12 confirmed cases. Both were centered in Ocean County.

“The first outbreak started with someone who had gone to Israel and was not immunized and brought it back,’’ explained Dr. Margaret Fisher, medical director, Unterberg Children’s Hospital, Monmouth Medical Center. “It started in Brooklyn and then came to New Jersey because people tend to vacation down here.’’