As measles cases climb, college talks about preventing spread on campus

Measles cases have hit a record high this year in Europe, according to the World Health Organization. The disease's numbers are also up in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control report 124 confirmed cases in the U.S. so far this year. In 2017, there were only 118 confirmed cases. That's also up from 2016, where there were 86 confirmed cases.

"The more people who receive immunizations, the less chances are that anybody would be exposed," explained the clinical manager of Buffalo State's Weigel Health Center Debbie Sarratori.

Measles spreads through the air by coughing or sneezing and carries with it symptoms that include high fever and a full body rash. There is no treatment for measles, but the disease typically goes away on its own after two or three weeks.

One way Buffalo State works to prevent any problems with the highly contagious disease is by requiring all students on campus to get the MMR vaccine.

"So that's where our concern is on the campus is. If somebody has this, we have to protect the other people who we cannot give vaccines to," Sarratori said. "Those who have medical reasons or religious types of exemptions."

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