Measles in the United States

10 Feb 2015

Measles cases continue to be reported in United States (US). A total of 121 cases have been recorded between 1 January - 6 February 2015.

Measles cases have been identified in 17 states and Washington, DC: Arizona (7), California (88), Colorado (1), the District of Columbia (1), Delaware (1), Illinois (3), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), Nebraska (2), New Jersey (1), New York (2), Nevada (2), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (2) Texas (1), Utah (2), Washington (4).

The majority of cases, 103 cases (85 %), are part of a large, ongoing multi-state outbreak linked to an amusement park in California. No source of this outbreak has been identified. The strain of measles linked to the amusement park in California is the same as the strain responsible for the large outbreak in the Philippines in 2014.

(Via PAHO Epidemiological Alert 9 Feb 2015 - accessed 10/02/15)

Advice for Travellers

It should be confirmed that children have received their recommended doses of MMR at 12-15 months of age and again pre-school around 3 years 6 months, while unimmunised adults who have not had the disease themselves may consider vaccination if thought to be at risk. Two doses of MMR vaccine are required to give adequate protection.