Milwaukee trying to contain a suspected measles outbreak

Four people in the Milwaukee area are confirmed to have contracted measles. A 37-year-old man and three children under 2 years old have been infected and are currently contained to minimize the spread of the disease. Measles is a highly infectious disease that's spread through respiration.

Symptoms include a cough, fever, runny nose, and red eyes. While the symptoms themselves aren't necessarily serious, the rapid spread of the disease to those who aren't protected is a cause for concern. In the US the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) is administered before 18 months of age. But in recent years, parents have voiced concerns over a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The CDC maintains that the MMR vaccine is safe.

One of the Milwaukee measles patients had contact with up to 150 people prior to being contained, so area officials are concerned about a possible outbreak. As a precaution, city officials offered free vaccinations to citizens. A Milwaukee health department representative said that one immunization shot is 95% effective.