Who Brings Measles to the United States?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has repeatedly stated that the majority of measles cases confirmed in the United States are linked to unvaccinated international travelers.

This assumption was reaffirmed in late August 2024 when the CDC reported that out of the 236 measles cases this year, 87% were in patients who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, and most had contact with international travelers.

Various health agencies have recently updated their data to help determine where these measles viruses may have originated.

The Europen CDC recently reported that 30 EU/EEA Member States had reported a total of 17,949 measles cases of measles and 13 related deaths over the past year.

For example, in July 2024, Romania (382), Belgium (92), Italy (91), and Germany (84) reported the highest measles patient counts. Throughout 2024, Germany has reported 435 measles cases.

Other recent measles hot spots have been India, with about 24,000 measles cases over the past year. 

As of August 2024, 12,481 measles cases had been confirmed in the Region of the Americas.

The overall measles vaccination average in the Americas is about 85% coverage for the first MMR vaccine dose, indicating millions of unprotected people in the Americas.

While MMR vaccination is not a requirement to visit the U.S., the CDC recommends that all international travelers speak with a travel vaccine provider about their options to protect themselves from this highly transmittable virus.