Measles continues to slowly spread across country

KALAMAZOO (WTVB) – Measles continues to slowly spread, despite the best efforts of health professionals to bring it under control.   The CDC says 20 new cases have been confirmed in the last week, bringing the total number of measles cases since January 1^st to 141.  The largest cluster is 113 and its been linked back to visitors to Disneyland back in December.  Other cases have been confirmed in 18 states, including Michigan. Dr. Keiran Fogerty, a Western Michigan University professor who once worked for the CDC say these diseases could not exist without the help of parents who have moral or philosophical objections to their children getting vaccinated. He says it’s been too easy for parents to opt out of getting their children properly immunized. He says Michigan has just last month instituted new rules requiring that parents seeking waivers meet with a healthcare professional first, who will tell them why its unwise.  He hopes it works but isn’t sure it will.