The World Health Organization confirmed that both North and South America are free of endemic measles, the first region to be certified as such, according to a recent report from The New York Times.
The region’s last case of measles was in 2002, a testament to how the measles vaccine has effectively reduced outbreaks.
It usually only takes three years without cases to declare a region free of a disease, but it took 14 years to declare the Americas measles-free because of communication disparities and immigration influences.
To read more about the process, its limitations and loopholes, follow the link below:
Senior Writer
As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.