The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued three travel notices Wednesday due to ongoing measles outbreaks in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ethiopia.
In Angola, the US federal health agency says the country is experiencing an ongoing measles outbreak. The number of confirmed measles cases increased from 6,558 in 2013 to 12,036 in 2014; cases continue to occur in 2015.
In Europe, as of February 2015, the Federal Institute of Public Health in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has reported more than 3,800 cases since January 2014. Most of the cases have been in 3 Central Bosnia Canton municipalities: Bugojno, Fojnica, and Travnik.
Finally, on the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is experiencing an ongoing measles outbreak. The number of confirmed measles cases increased from 6,100 in 2013 to more than 14,000 confirmed cases in 2014; cases continue to occur in 2015.
The CDC recommends that travelers to all three destinations protect themselves by making sure they are vaccinated against measles, particularly infants 6–11 months of age (1 dose of measles vaccine) and children 12 months of age or older (2 doses of measles vaccine). Clinicians should keep measles in mind when treating patients with fever and rash, especially if the patient has recently traveled internationally.