Nebraskans urged to update measles vaccine as cases surge nationwide

OMAHA, Neb.- Local health professionals are urging Nebraskans to check and update their vaccination status with measles cases on the rise nationally.

The CDC says there are currently 378 cases of measles across the U.S., which is more cases than all of last year.

Texas has nearly 330 cases of measles, including an unvaccinated child who was the first measles-related death in over a decade.

A recent outbreak in our neighboring state of Kansas has grown to 10 cases, all of which are children who are unvaccinated or under-vaxxed.

Chief Medical Officer for CHI Health and professor of Infectious Diseases at Creighton University Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan said measles is very contagious, and is especially dangerous for children and those with weakened immune systems. 

 "As I'm talking to parents we just need to make sure our children are up to date on their vaccines. If not, then having that conversation again with your primary care provider to catch up on the vaccine is going to be really important," she said.

Vivekanandan says that despite the high number of measles cases this year, there are opportunities to limit the exposure and symptoms of the disease.

"So when you're not vaccinated you don't have that immunity, so a higher risk of getting it. And recently we're seeing lower vaccine rates. So that's where we have some opportunity to increase it," she added.