By Ethan Covey
Cases of measles have been reported in New Hampshire and Vermont, both likely tied to exposure to an international traveler with measles who visited Hanover, N.H., in late June.
The traveler visited Hanover and the Dartmouth College campus June 20-22 and tested positive for measles shortly after returning to their home country.
The New Hampshire case, which was reported by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) on July 9, was in an unvaccinated New Hampshire resident. The New Hampshire DHHS and DPHS posted a known itinerary of the person’s whereabouts in the Hanover area, warning people who were at the locations on the specified dates and within the identified time frames may have been exposed.
People who are not immune to measles, either due to previous infection or vaccination, those with weakened immune systems who may have lowered protection from vaccination, or infants who have not yet received the vaccine are most at risk for infection.
“Measles is a highly contagious but preventable disease,” said Benjamin Chan, MD, the state epidemiologist for the New Hampshire DHHS. “The two-dose measles vaccine provides lifelong protection in most people, and it is the best protection against measles and complications of infection. Anybody who is not vaccinated is strongly encouraged to talk with their healthcare provider about completing the vaccine series.”
The Vermont Department of Health confirmed a case of measles in a Vermont resident who was also likely exposed while visiting Hanover during the same time as the international traveler.
Although this is the second case of measles reported in Vermont during 2024, Department of Health officials have confirmed it is unrelated to the first case, which was reported in April.
As of Aug. 1, the CDC reported 203 measles cases in 27 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.: Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York state, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
There have been 13 outbreaks reported this year, and 63% of the cases are associated with an outbreak. In 2023, there were four outbreaks and 49% of cases were associated with an outbreak, the agency said. Most of the cases (40%) are among children younger than 5 years of age. Almost 50% of the cases (94) were hospitalized, and again, most of them (60%) were younger than 5. More than 85% are unvaccinated or the vaccination status of the patient was unknown, according to the CDC; 9% had received one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine; and 5% had received two doses.
