CDC Issues Alert Due to Rise in Measles Cases

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued an alert on the rising number of measles cases in the United States, saying the 58 cases in the first three months of 2024 equal the same as the total for the whole of 2023.

Among the 58 cases reported in 2024, 54 (93%) were linked to international travel. Most cases reported in 2024 have been among children aged 12 months and older who had not received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

On its website, the agency advised health care providers to ensure children are current on routine immunizations, including MMR. Given currently high population immunity against measles in most U.S. communities, the risk of wide scale spread is low. However, pockets of low coverage leave some communities at higher risk for outbreaks, the CDC said.

Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death, especially in unvaccinated people.

The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after the infected person leaves the area.

On its website, the CDC recommends the following for parents, caregivers and international travelers:

• Even if not traveling, ensure that children receive all recommended doses of MMR vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine provide better protection (97%) against measles than one dose (93%). Getting an MMR vaccine is much safer than getting measles, mumps or rubella.
• Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of getting infected when they travel internationally. Before international travel, check your destination and the CDC’s Global Measles Travel Health Notice for more travel health advice, including where measles outbreaks have been reported.
• Parents traveling internationally with children should consult with their child’s health care provider to ensure that they are up to date with their MMR vaccinations at least two weeks before travel. Infants aged 6-11 months should have one documented dose and children aged 12 months and older should have two documented doses of MMR vaccine before international travel.
• After international travel, watch for signs and symptoms of measles for three weeks after returning to the United States. If you or your child gets sick with a rash and a high fever, call your health care provider. Tell them you traveled to another country and whether you or your child have received MMR vaccine.

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