COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Department of Health is urging residents to ensure they’re vaccinated for
measles amid a resurgence of the highly contagious disease in the U.S.
Ohio hasn’t had a reported case of measles since 2014, but cases have been confirmed this year in
neighboring Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.
For most people, the virus causes a fever, rash, runny nose and cough. Health officials say vaccination
is the best protection.
Cases have spiked this year with more than 700 nationwide, the most since 1994. That includes dozens of
people who contracted measles while traveling internationally, triggering outbreaks among mostly
unvaccinated people.
During Ohio’s 2014 outbreak, the illness spread quickly within the Amish community because of its lower
vaccination rate. The state had more than 370 cases that year.