Developing a new anti-viral treatment for Measles

After decades of decline, measles is on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of cases has spiked in the past four months – to nearly 130. In New York City, 26 people were recently diagnosed. Some of them had received the Measles vaccine in childhood.

Dr Richard Plemper leads a team developing a new oral anti-viral drug that can stop measles before symptoms begin – and could be used with the childhood vaccination. He says it can take weeks after exposure for symptoms to develop.