Amish communities at the centre of largest US measles outbreak in 30 years
An outbreak of measles in the United States is now officially the biggest in the country in three decades.
There have now been 1004 cases of the disease in the state of Pennsylvania, with 106 new cases in the past seven days.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. Nine/Supplied
Five people have died in the outbreak.
A third of those infected are under the age of 18, and nearly 200 have been hospitalised, including 18 per cent of infected children.
From 2010 to 2019, the state averaged less than five cases a year.
The outbreak is centred on Lancaster County, which is known for its high population of Amish people.
While immunisations are not considered against the religion of Amish people, members of the sect are statistically less likely to get vaccinated.
One of the fatalities was a 20-year-old Amish woman. She had wanted to get vaccinated for measles but could not because she had leukaemia, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
In neighbouring Ohio, a measles outbreak has disproportionately impacted Amish communities.
The government of Pennsylvania noted that fewer than one per cent of those who have contracted the virus are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, New York has declared a statewide disaster emergency to address the measles outbreak.
“No one should get seriously ill or die from a vaccine-preventable disease,” Governor Kathy Hochul said.
The state has seen 108 cases of measles this year, mostly in rural areas.
Measles is highly contagious with potentially fatal consequences. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has blamed the Trump administration for making the outbreak worse.
He pointed the finger specifically at Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who rose to prominence as an anti-vaccine campaigner.
"I want every Pennsylvanian to know this: measles does not care about your county, your faith, or your social circle," Shapiro said.
"I urge everyone to take this seriously and to discuss any concerns with their trusted health care provider."
Symptoms of measles include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash.
Infection can result in pneumonia, ear infections and brain inflammation, which can cause deafness, intellectual disabilities and permanent brain damage.
NSW Health makes the measles vaccine available free for anyone born during or after 1966 who doesn't have two documented doses of measles vaccine. AAP
It can also cause immune amnesia, which wipes out antibodies, exposing people to illnesses they have already had.
About three people out of every thousand typically die from measles.
It is highly infectious and is spread through coughing and sneezing.
One dose of the measles vaccine is effective in preventing about 95 per cent of cases. A second dose brings the efficacy up to nearly 99 per cent.
Endemic measles was eliminated in Australia in 2014, but cases still emerge, usually from people who have contracted it overseas.
An estimated 6.7 per cent of the Australian population are susceptible to measles because they have not been vaccinated.
Those most at risk are infants too young to be vaccinated.
The measles vaccine is free in Australia for eligible people under the National Immunisation Program.
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