CDC has issued a Health Alert Network Health Advisory with guidance on Measles during the summer travel season. It reads in part:
As the summer travel season begins, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to remind clinicians and public health officials to provide guidance for measles prevention to international travelers and to be on alert for cases of measles. Guidance is also provided for people planning international travel. Measles (rubeola) is extremely contagious; one person infected by measles can infect 9 out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. As of June 8, 2023, CDC has been notified of 16 confirmed U.S. cases of measles across 11 jurisdictions, with 14 (88%) linked to international travel. Based on current estimates, twice as many Americans are planning to travel internationally in 2023 compared with 2022. Many countries and popular travel destinations, such as London, England, have experienced measles outbreaks in recent years. The United States has seen an increase in measles cases during the first 5 months of 2023, with 16 reported cases compared with 3 in 2022 during the same period. Most of these cases were among children who had not received measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. To prevent measles infection and spread from importation, all U.S. residents should be up to date on their MMR vaccinations, especially prior to international travel regardless of the destination.
Recommendations for State and Local Health Departments
- State and local health departments have the lead in investigating measles cases and outbreaks.
- Measles is an immediately notifiable disease and should be reported promptly (within 24 hours) by the state health department to CDC ([email protected]) and through the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS).
- Establish measles case reporting within hospitals and to public health authorities.
- Record and report details about cases of measles, including adherence to recommended precautions and facility location(s) of index and secondary cases.
- If measles is identified, conduct active surveillance for any additional cases and facilitate transportation of specimens immediately to confirm diagnosis.
