Measles are gone from the Americas

The Americas are now free of measles and we have vaccines to thank, the Pan American Health Organization said earlier this week.
This is the first region in the world to be declared measles-free, despite longtime efforts to eliminate the disease entirely. The condition — which causes flu-like symptoms and a blotchy rash — is one of the world’s most infectious diseases. It’s transmitted by airborne particles or direct contact with someone who has the disease and is highly