AZUZ: Rubella or Rubeola is another term for what? Red gems, measles, Martian soil, or clay. This is another term for measles, a contagious virus that's characterized by a skin rash.

Other symptoms of measles include a high fever and a cough. And large outbreaks are happening right now in the nations of Israel, Philippines and Ukraine. Over each of the past 10 years, the United States has averaged anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred measles cases. This year, America has had its second greatest number of diagnosis since the year 2000. So far, there have been 387 cases of measles confirmed across 15 states. The Centers for Disease Control says measles can be serious, leading to the hospitalization of about 25 percent of those who get the disease.

But it’s not usually deadly. There's one death for every 1,000 cases, on average. The CDC says the only way to protect against measles is to get vaccinated. And in the current U.S. outbreaks, most of the children who’ve contracted the disease were not vaccinated, though a few were and caught the measles anyway. No deaths have been reported. The vaccine offered in the U.S. is called MMR, which stands for Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Doctors say it’s more than 90 percent effective at preventing measles if someone who’s had MMR is exposed to the virus. But the CDC also says there’s a remote chance that the vaccine can cause side effects and serious injuries. And that’s why some parents are hesitant to allow it for their children.