56 Countries Confirm Measles Outbreaks

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that measles outbreaks continue in various countries in 2024, such as India.

To alert international travelers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) republished a global Watch-Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice on August 14, 2024, identifying measles outbreaks in 56 countries.

Within the United States, the CDC has reported 219 measles cases in 27 jurisdictions this year, led by the states of Illinois and Oregon. Most of these cases are related to unvaccinated travelers.

The CDC writes that 'all international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months.

However, the CDC does not recommend a third dose of MMR vaccination during or when visiting measles outbreaks.

In the U.S., MMR vaccines are available at most clinics and community pharmacies.