Ohio measles outbreak tied to Amish group

A measles outbreak tied to a group of Amish missionaries in Ohio has reached 68 cases, giving the state the dubious distinction of having the most cases reported in any state since 1996, health officials say.

The Ohio outbreak is part of a larger worrisome picture: as of May 9, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had logged 187 cases nationwide in 2014, closing in on last year’s total of 189. The CDC warned several weeks ago that the country could end up having the worst year for measles since homegrown outbreaks were eradicated in 2000.

The last time a state had more measles cases than Ohio has now was in 1996, when Utah had 119, according to the CDC.