Traveller to the US and Europe at higher risk of catching measles: Precautions to take

The US and other European countries have been facing a measles outbreak with as many as 483 cases across the American states of California, Florida, Ohio, Vermont, Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In Europe, an analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) stated that the region has reported the highest number of cases in over 25 years for 2024.

WHO issues advisory

The WHO has issued a travel advisory for people travelling to the US and nearby locations. The organization has advised travellers to ensure their immunization is active, recommending that they "check and renew their immunization status against measles before departure."

A statement from their website reads, “Unvaccinated individuals from areas in the United States experiencing measles outbreaks, with knowledge of exposure to measles cases and/or presenting signs and symptoms compatible with measles virus infection, should consult local health authorities before undertaking an international voyage.”

How does measles spread?

Measles is a "highly contagious" disease and can spread easily through coughs or sneezes, said the CDC. People can also catch the disease by breathing contaminated air, where it can live for two hours, or touching their mouth, eyes and nose after contacting a contaminated surface.

The agency also stated that international travel is a source of increasing measles cases. “The disease is brought into the United States by unvaccinated people who get infected in other countries,” said the agency's website.

Dr Stephen S. Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, told USA Today, that whether the travellers should be concerned or not depends on if "they already have some, what the CDC would call presumptive evidence of immunity... or if they're going to an area where there is a fairly high measles risk."

How do you prevent catching measles when travelling?

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As per the CDC, people who are not fully vaccinated or have not had measles are at risk of infection when visiting places with high cases of measles.

Travellers must be fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine two weeks or more before leaving for an international trip. For those who can't ensure complete vaccination, at least one more dose is required. While one dose of the vaccine provides 93% protection, two provide 97%.

Check the list of countries with measles outbreak

The CDC has a list of countries of high transmission on its website that travellers can refer to ahead of planning their international trips. Additionally, the agency also recommended watching out for symptoms for three weeks after an international trip or travelling domestically to areas with ongoing outbreaks.

Tips for travellers

While the vaccine is the most effective method of prevention, Morse also suggested keeping the hands clean, avoiding contact with people who have a rash and wearing masks while travelling as the disease spreads through "the respiratory route."