CDC: Over 100 measles cases this year in 21 states, including NC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed over 100 cases of measles in the United States so far in 2018, and some of those were in North Carolina.

The affected states include North Carolina, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

The CDC reports that the majority of people who got measles were unvaccinated.

Measles is common in Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa, officials say, and travelers with measles can spread the disease to people in the U.S. who have not been vaccinated.

According to the CDC, in 2017, 118 people from 15 states and the District of Columbia were reported to have measles.

In 2014, the U.S. experienced a record number of measles cases, with 667 cases from 27 states reported to CDC.

Measles is considered highly contagious and can be spread through coughs and sneezes. People with the disease can remain contagious for up to four days.

Symptoms include a mild-to-moderate fever, a cough, runny nose, red eyes and a sore throat. A red or reddish-brown rash also appears, first on the face at the hairline and spreading down to the entire body.