Measles cases rise in US as Dr Oz urges vaccination

Dr Mehmet Oz urged Americans to get the measles vaccine as outbreaks spread across several states, with South Carolina reporting hundreds of cases and officials warning the US could lose its measles elimination status.

Dr Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, publicly urged Americans to get the measles vaccine. His remarks came as measles outbreaks are reported in multiple states. South Carolina has reported hundreds of cases, and an outbreak has been identified along the Utah–Arizona border. Public health specialists have said the rise in cases has put the United States at risk of losing its measles elimination designation. What officials reported: - Dr Oz urged vaccination and described vaccines as a solution to measles spread. - South Carolina is reporting hundreds of cases amid wider state-level outbreaks. - An outbreak has been identified along the Utah–Arizona border, with additional confirmed cases in several states. - Children have been among the most affected and most patients reported were not vaccinated. - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a history of questioning vaccines, and federal officials have not announced a national vaccination campaign. Summary: The increase in measles cases prompted a direct public endorsement of vaccination from a senior federal health official. Undetermined at this time.