How the Measles Outbreak Started

<p>The number of measles cases in the United States has risen to nearly 700 — the highest annual number recorded since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated in the country. Many of those cases can be traced to ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in New York. Guest: Sarah Maslin Nir, who covers New York City for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>.</p><p>Background reading:</p><ul><li>Officials in New York have taken extraordinary measures to fight the measles outbreak,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/health/measles-outbreaks-us.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> including $1,000 fines and bans on unvaccinated children in public</a>.</li><li>The outbreak has Orthodox Jewish communities<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/nyregion/measles-jewish-community.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> fearing a rise in anti-Semitism</a>.</li><li>How is measles transmitted? How safe is the vaccine?<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/us/measles-outbreak.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> Here are answers to some questions about the disease</a>.</li></ul>