With many families traveling for spring break ahead of the Easter holiday, health officials are worried about measles cases spreading. So far, more than 700 cases have been reported in the U.S., and that is the highest number since 2019, according to the CDC. “This is a very, very infectious di sease,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green said.  Governor Green is also a physician and is worried about the growing cases of measles across the country. This week, the Aloha State confirmed its first reported case of measles in years. An unvaccinated child under five who recently returned to O’ahu after traveling internationally. “If people went through the airport at the same time as the child, there could be infection,” Green said. As of Thursday, 712 measles cases have been confirmed in 24 states, according to the CDC. That’s more than double the total amount of measles cases reported last year. Multiple cases have been reported in Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico, but the majority are in west Texas where the number has surpassed 500 in the state, and there have been at least two deaths. “We definitely have a significant number of cases of measles out here in west Texas,” Katherine Wells, a Director of Public Health in Lubbock, Texas, said. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease. If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected, according to the CDC. That’s why health officials are urigng people to get the MMR vaccine. “The MMR vaccine that protects against measles is the way to stop from getting measles,” Wells said. Health officials say one dose is 93% effective and the second dose is 97% effective at preventing measles. ...read more read less