Biden adds measles to list of diseases that could require quarantine

President Biden signed an executive order on Friday to add measles to a list of communicable diseases that could require quarantine.

Why it matters: After having practically eradicated measles from the U.S. almost two decades ago, a growing anti-vaccination movement has led to a resurgence of the highly contagious virus in recent years.

• Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in 2019 after multi-county cases caused a "public disaster." The nearby city of Portland, Oregon, was also concerned, as there had been dozens of possible exposure locations, ranging from a Portland Trail Blazers game to a children's museum.
• In 2018, there were 349 cases reported in 26 states and Washington, D.C., including outbreaks in New York and New Jersey.

Of note: Flights carrying Afghan refugees to the United States were temporarily paused because of four cases of measles, the White House said last week.

• Health officials are exploring the option of administering vaccines, including measles, mumps and rubella, at overseas bases where thousands of evacuees are currently awaiting transfer.

Go deeper: U.S. measles cases mount as anti-vaccine influence goes unchecked