CDC warns travelers of higher measles risk
May 30 (UPI) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning people about the risks of contracting measles while traveling.
The federal health agency updated its guidance Wednesday after reports from those flying within the United States contracting the highly contagious virus. The number of cases in the United States is the highest since 2000 after the debut of the vaccination program.
Of the 1,088 measles cases reported so far this year, 96% were unvaccinated.
"Travelers can catch measles in many travel settings including travel hubs like airports and train stations, on public transportation like airplanes and trains, at tourist attractions, and at large, crowded events," the agency said.
About 90% of confirmed cases are linked to outbreaks within the United States, and not travel outside the country, the CDC said.
Cases have been reported in all but 18 states this year, the CDC said Friday. New York and New York City are listed separately among the 33 jurisdictions listed.
Two more states -- Iowa and Nebraska -- reported their first confirmed cases this week.
Texas, where the first outbreak was reported in January, leads with 225 infections. There were 285 cases in 2024 with the highest since 2000 in 2019 with 1,274.
Three deaths have been reported.
Of the cases, 30% are children under 5, 37% 5-19 years old, 32% 20 years and older.
The CDC has received at least 62 reports of travelers contagious with the highly transmissible virus while flying into the U.S. or within the country, a spokesperson for the CDC told CBS News in a statement.
The agency investigated 50 of those travelers, and determined that measles spread during air travel in at least one of those situations, the spokesperson said. The CDC connected confirmed cases of measles among airline passengers sitting near each other.
Unvaccinated U.S. residents are infecting those on aircraft, the CDC said.
"International travelers are at risk of measles if they have not either been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure OR had measles in the past," the CDC said.
The agency urges all international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine, according to CDC's recommendations. These include a dose for infants 6-11 months old, and at least 28 days apart for anyone 12 months old or older without adequate evidence of immunity.
Also in the update, the CDC dropped its list of countries facing "high incidence" of measles. The agency now warns only that the virus is "an ongoing risk around the world, and more international travelers are getting infected."
A total of 14 outbreaks have been reported this year, with 16 through the entire 2024. An outbreak is considered three or more related cases.
Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000 after the debut of the vaccination program, meaning there is no measles spreading within the country and new cases are only found when someone contracts measles abroad and returns to the country.
Before then, nearly every child got measles by the time they were 15.
The measles vaccine was first licensed for public use in 1963, according to the WHO.
The first MMR vaccine was administered in 1971.
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