measles

The Allen County measles outbreak is over. A total of eight cases were reported in Allen County in April, involving three adults and five children.

Nationwide, more than 700 cases have been reported across six states. Three people have died from the disease, two children and one adult. All three were unvaccinated.

The Indiana Department of Health will lose nearly $40 million in federal funds after the Trump administration in March cancelled COVID-era funding linked to addiction, mental health and other public health programs.

The new cases include three minors and two adults in Allen County, the same area where the initial case was reported earlier this week.

The Indiana Department of Health confirmed Monday the state's first measles case in more than a year.

The IDOH said the disease is rare because of the availability of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine. Vaccination rates peaked in 2020, but have steadily declined since.

Despite having almost 1,300 measles cases in 2019 after measles was declared eradicated from the U.S. in 2000, some people are still hesitant to vaccinate themselves or their children.

Although the coronavirus is the most serious public health concern at the moment, there has also been an increase in the number of measles cases this year. The best precaution against measles is the MMR vaccine, which can also protect against other infections over time.