Researchers are struck by the speed of the current measles outbreak across the U.S.So far this year, measles cases have been reported in 22 states, particularly in the South and West. In West Texas and New Mexico, there are a combined 320 cases, which amounts to more than the country's total cases last year."I like to think of this as a forest fire with sparks spreading out, and if those sparks land in a community with low vaccine coverage, we're going to see a larger measles outbreak. If it lands in a community with high vaccine coverage, we may only see one or a few cases," Johns Hopkins University researcher Dr. William Moss told Baltimore sister station WBAL.The last time the U.S. saw a large measles outbreak was in 2019. This year's outbreak largely came from cases in New York that affected the Orthodox Jewish population.About 95% of this year's cases are among unvaccinated people or those whose vaccination status is unknown, so the outbreaks raise concerns about the rise in vaccine hesitancy and reliance by some on "alternative treatments."| ABOUT THE VACCINE: Does the measles vaccine become less protective with age? How to know if you need to be revaccinatedVideo above: What to look for with the measlesJohns Hopkins researchers caution against alternative treatments, saying none of them will prevent measles infections."The answer is very clear here: It's vaccination that prevents infection. It's vaccination that's going to stop these outbreaks," Moss told WBAL. "It is true that children who have underlying undernutrition or vitamin A deficiency will benefit from vitamin A supplementation if they are ill with measles, and the World Health Organization recommends vitamin A supplementation, but it's a very controlled dose."Moss said taking other supplements, like cod liver oil, can actually be dangerous and lead to toxicity.