American fans of Shakira are currently with angels. The Colombian singer continues in the country the concerts of her Las Mujeres ya no lloran tourattracting thousands of spectators each time. But those who attended his show last Thursday at the East Rutherford Metlife Stadium in New Jersey may well regret it. In question: an extremely contagious virus was also present in the stadium.
A person infected with measles among the crowd
Indeed, according to a very official announcement of the health authorities of the US State, a person who attended this concert was the bearer of the measles virus. And could well promote “The appearance of a major home “announced the press release.
Thus, among the 50,000 people present, “Any spectator present at the stadium between 7:30 p.m. this Thursday and 1 a.m. on Friday can in theory have caught the virus. ” Which makes a lot of people and possibilities. The stadium area where the patient was seated and the entries and exits he borrowed were not specified. “But even if the concert took place in a stadium that is not covered, the risk is very real since the measles virus can survive in the air for two hours and remains highly transmitted, especially in non -vaccinated people” Recalls the daily USA Today.
At the time of publication of the notice, on May 20, no case of illness associated with the concert had been reported. Possible transmissions can nevertheless appear until June 6, the symptoms of measles appearing seven to 14 days after contact with the virus. The State Health Department invited people thinking that they have caught measles to contact their doctor as quickly as possible.
Measles, among the most contagious viruses in the world
As a reminder, measles is transmitted by direct or indirect contact with respiratory secretions. According to Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical, “measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world“, Much more than flu or covid. Hence the need for reinforced vigilance, especially in schools, nurseries, and hospitals.
Contrary to popular belief, measles is also far from harmless disease. It generally begins with a high fever, a dry cough, a nasal flow, a conjunctivitis accompanied by great fatigue, before the appearance of small white spots in the mouth, then the typical rash, which begins at the level of the face and gradually extends to the rest of the body.
Complications can occur quickly: otitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, and, in the most serious cases, death. Faced with the slightest doubt, a medical consultation is essential.
A vaccination suspicion that raises the worst
The virus is not the only problem in this case. Suspicion and reluctance to vaccination that rages in the United States may well transform an isolated case into a real cluster, if the crowd is not protected.
The new potential new home occurs when the United States has faced, in 2025, its largest measles epidemic in a quarter of a century. In just five months, 1,024 cases have already been identified in 30 states, causing three deaths. A figure which already approaches the record of 1,274 cases recorded during the last large epidemic in 2019, and which largely exceeds the 285 cases reported in 2024. Alarming fact: 96 % of recently infected people were not vaccinated.
Scientists alert: the United States is close to a switch that could mark the return of measles to the endemic state, even though the disease had been officially eradicated from the national territory in 2000. According to Reuters, they call for health authorities to urgently approve the use of highly effective vaccines to contain propagation. Centers for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC) recall that in the United States, a person not vaccinated out of five damage by measles must be hospitalized.
Vaccination remains the most effective protection
Faced with this resurgence, vaccination remains the best protection. The World Health Organization insists: vaccination coverage of at least 95 % is essential to hope to eliminate the disease. But distrust of vaccines, reinforced by the COVVI-19 crisis, slows down this objective. “”Measles must be perceived as an alert signal “underlines Dr. Kierzek. “”It shows that the relaxation of vaccination coverage can have very real, sometimes dramatic consequences “.
France is no exception to these difficulties. The Ror (measles-oreillons-Rubeol) vaccine), compulsory since January 2018 for children, must be administered in two doses: a first between 12 and 15 months, then a second between 16 and 18 months. However, according to Public Santé France, almost 10 % of children under two are still not up to date in their vaccine scheme. Cases in France are said to be constantly increasing.