Measles cases in the U.S. are three times higher than last year, and doctors say a vaccine could help.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Federal health officials Update warnings On the rise in measles cases and encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated Vaccinations recommended before school starts.

According to CDC figures, measles cases have increased significantly. CDC officials say the reasons for this are: Decreasing vaccinationsThey argue this is the best way to keep communities safe and protected from the deadly disease.

Parents like Erica Grandpre want what's best for their children.

“We are the young people's only defense against everything in the world — their introduction to what is good and their protection from what is dangerous,” Grandpré said.

Now she's worried about measles.

“I've read about it in the news for the last few years,” Grandpre said. “Every time, I was like, really? I thought it was gone. I thought it was in the past.”

More than 200 cases of measles have occurred across the U.S. this year, including in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

This is more than three times the number of cases reported last year.

Most cases are in children under 5 years of age who have not been vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Measles epidemic in Philadelphia The December and January outbreaks were linked to unvaccinated infants traveling internationally. Cases spread at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and then to child care facilities. The outbreak was declared over in February.

“We're seeing an increase in measles cases,” said CDC Director Mandy Cohen, “and that's because measles is highly contagious. It's one of the most contagious viruses. But we have ways to protect ourselves, right? We want to make sure everyone has access to the vaccine.”

According to new data from the CDC, among children born between 1994 and 2023, nearly 500 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations and more than 1 million deaths have been prevented, all of which could have been avoided through routine childhood vaccinations.

Cohen said some children have fallen behind on vaccinations during the pandemic, but many are catching up.

“I've been traveling around the country urging people to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccinations, including measles vaccine and polio, before school starts,” Cohen said. “This is the best defense against these serious diseases.”

Stephanie Steele

Stephanie Staal is an Emmy Award-winning health reporter. She appears daily on CBS News Philadelphia and Philly57.

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