This article has been updated from the total count for measles cases in the state from 13 to 21.
KENT COUNTY, Del. - Delaware has now confirmed 21 cases of measles, with all cases being in Kent County, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health.
The current total includes 7 children up to 9-years-old, one person between the ages of 10-19 and 13 people 20-years-old or older.
"I'm 70 some years old. We all were vaccinated. We didn't have cases of it. We never ran across it much. So I just I don't understand," said Pat Schneider, from Lewes.
DPH noted that newly confirmed cases may not yet appear in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly reporting totals.
Delaware health officials declared a measles outbreak after confirming two additional cases that brought the state's total to four on July 22. The state's first confirmed case was announced July 20.
The CDC defines a measles outbreak as three or more cases linked by time and location. DPH said extensive contact tracing remains underway to identify anyone who may have been exposed.
"Measles is an airborne disease. That means that it's transmitted not necessarily through surfaces, but it sits in the air," said Robert Rosenbaum with the Delaware Division of Public Health.
Health officials continue to emphasize that vaccination is the best protection against measles. According to the CDC, two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing measles.
People who know they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine do not need a booster. Those who have received only one dose or are unsure of their vaccination history should speak with a health care provider about receiving a second dose to become fully protected. Health officials also note that people born before the 1970s or outside the United States, where a single-dose measles vaccination schedule may have been routine, should review their vaccination status.
The CDC recommends children receive the first MMR dose between 12 and 15 months of age and the second dose between 4 and 6 years of age. DPH encourages anyone who is behind on vaccinations, has not been vaccinated or is unsure of their vaccination status to contact a health care provider.
