On May 24, 2018, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one new imported measles case in an over 30-year-old Vietnamese female. On May 16, she developed fever and cough. On May 18, she traveled to Taiwan with a tour group and subsequently developed joint paint and rash. In the evening of May 21, she sought medical attention. On May 22, she was reported to the competent health authority as a suspected rubella case by the hospital. Infection with rubella in the case was ruled out by the Taiwan CDC laboratory. However, infection with measles was confirmed in the case on May 24. Nevertheless, the case returned to Vietnam with her tour group on May 22.

To prevent further transmission of the disease, the local health authority has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 215 contacts, including travelers in the same tour group, passengers on the same flight, healthcare personnel and patients that he came into contact with when he sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until June 12, 2018. Thus far, none of the contacts has developed any suspected symptoms. In addition, Taiwan CDC has notified Vietnam’s National IHR Focal Point about the case. As measles is a highly infectious disease that is spread by contact with droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of an infected person, either directly or through aerosol transmission, people who visited the same places during the aforementioned time are potential contacts and are thus urged to conduct self-health management for 18 days since the last exposure date. If suspected symptoms develop, please put on a mask immediately, seek prompt medical attention and voluntarily notify the physician of the relevant exposure history.

Thus far this year, a cumulative total of 26 measles cases, including 17 indigenous cases and 9 imported cases, have been confirmed in Taiwan. As of March this year, a cumulative total of 64 measles cases had been confirmed in Vietnam, which is lower than that during the same period last year. During 2015 and 2017, an average of 500 to 900 measles cases were confirmed in Vietnam each year. According to the international epidemic surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, the global measles epidemics have continued to occur. Among the neighboring countries, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and Thailand have reported a higher number of cases and cases have continued to occur in these countries. In addition, in Europe, France, Greece, Serbia, and Ukraine have been hit the hardest by measles, while Romania, Italy, and the United Kingdom have all reported a higher number of cases compared to the previous years. Currently, Taiwan CDC has issued a travel notice of Level 1: Watch for measles to 17 countries, including the aforementioned countries, Kazakhstan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Taiwan CDC urges that measles is highly contagious and unvaccinated travelers will continue to bring the disease into Taiwan. Hence, travelers planning to visit affected areas are also advised to visit the outpatient travel clinic at contracted hospitals in the nation to determine the need for MMR vaccination. Travelers visiting affected areas are also advised to pay attention to personal hygiene, wash hands with soap and water frequently, avoid touching mouth and nose, and wearing a mask while visiting crowded places. If symptoms pertaining to measles infection such as fever, nasopharyngitis, conjunctivitis, cough and rash develop after visiting affected areas, please voluntarily inform the quarantine officer at the airport upon arrival in Taiwan, put on a mask, seek immediate medical attention, and voluntarily inform the physician of relevant travel and exposure history. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).