101019 – Measles Advisory

Many countries are in the midst of sizeable measles outbreaks, with all regions of the world experiencing sustained rises in cases. Measles cases have continued to climb into 2019. Preliminary global data shows that reported cases rose by 300 percent in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. This follows consecutive increases over the past two years.

Current outbreaks include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Myanmar, Philippines, Sudan, Thailand and Ukraine, causing many deaths – mostly among young children.

Over recent months, spikes in case numbers have also occurred in countries with high overall vaccination coverage, including the United States of America as well as Israel, Thailand, and Tunisia, as the disease has spread fast among clusters of unvaccinated people.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. Also, measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.

If you are not fully vaccinated against measles you are at risk of becoming infected when traveling overseas. You also risk exposing others while traveling, or when you return to the U.S.

In the U.S., the majority of measles cases are due to unvaccinated individuals becoming infected while traveling to countries in which measles is either common or there are outbreaks occurring. As measles is highly contagious, these people can then spread the disease to others, causing outbreaks, often before they are aware that they have the virus.

People who are experiencing signs and symptoms of measles should seek medical attention. It is recommended that you call ahead to the clinic to alert of them of your symptoms so that measures can be taken to limit your exposure to others upon your arrival.

Recommendations for Travelers

Most measles cases in the U.S. result from international travel. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from measles is by getting vaccinated. Make sure you and your loved ones are protected against measles before international travel.

1. Check your vaccination records and those of your loved ones. Consult your doctor regarding vaccination requirements for measles and other diseases. Plan to be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks before you depart. If your trip is less than 2 weeks away and you’re not protected against measles, you should still get a dose of MMR vaccine.
2. Call your health care provider, your local health department, or locate a pharmacy or clinic near you to schedule an appointment for a MMR vaccine.
3. Check your destination to determine if there are active outbreaks of measles. People are not required to carry proof of vaccination against measles when they travel.
4. Watch your health for 3 weeks after you return. Measles symptoms typically include: high fever (may spike to more than 104° F); cough; runny nose (coryza); red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis); rash (3-5 days after symptoms begin). Children may present rash and fever. If you or your loved ones get sick and present measles symptoms, call your doctor. Be sure to tell your doctor that you traveled abroad, and whether you have received the MMR vaccine.

Further information and sources

• For more information about measles, please go to the CDC measles webpage.
• For information about measles vaccination, please go to the CDC measles vaccination webpage.
• For information about the number of measles cases in the U.S., please go to the CDC measles cases and outbreaks data and the measles elimination in the U.S. webpages.
• For information on current outbreaks, refer to the relevant CDC country page
• For the measles immunization schedule in the U.S., refer to CDC measles vaccination webpage.
• For most current measles surveillance data, refer to the WHO measles data for 2019 webpage.

The risk information in this report is retrieved from the linked sources. It provides general guidance for UT Dallas travelers. Please note the publication date of this post, and go to the direct sources listed above for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this post may change without prior notice.