On July 14, 2015, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one imported measles case from China in a 35-year-old and a 29-year-old females. During July 5 and 9, 2015, the 35-year-old case sought medical attention several times after she developed fever, headache and rash. On the other hand, on July 8, the 29-yaer-old case developed swollen lymph nodes. On July 10, she sought medical attention after developing runny nose and rash. Both cases were reported to the health authority as a suspected measles cases by their hospital and measles infection was later confirmed in both cases. As of now, both cases are still hospitalized for treatment. According to the epidemiological investigation, both cases have visited Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, China together during June 18 and 29. Hence, it is determined that they might have acquired the infection while in China.

To prevent further transmission of the disease, the health authorities has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 174 contacts, including their family members, passengers sitting near the cases on the same flight, colleagues, healthcare personnel and patients that they came into contact with when they sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until July 28. Currently, none of them has developed suspected symptoms. The public is urged to put on a mask and seek prompt medical attention when suspected symptoms such as fever and rash develop and inform the physician of relevant exposure history. In addition, one of the cases traveled overseas during her infectious period. Hence, Taiwan CDC has notified the country she visited through the National IHR Focal Point. Furthermore, potential contacts are urged to conduct an 18-day self-health management beginning from the day of last known exposure to a confirmed case. If symptoms such as fever, fatigue, generalized irregular papules develop, please put on a mask immediately, seek prompt medical attention and voluntarily notify the physician of relevant exposure history.

Thus far this year, a total of 22 indigenous measles cases (19 were clustered cases who work at the same place) and 5 imported measles cases from China have been confirmed in Taiwan. During the same period last year, 17 measles cases were confirmed, including 3 indigenous cases and 14 imported cases (5 imported from the Philippines, 5 imported from China, and 1 each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Taiwan CDC reminds that vaccination remains the best way to prevent measles. In Taiwan, the existing routine childhood vaccination schedule recommends a dose of MMR vaccine to children 12 months of age and another dose to first graders in elementary schools. Unvaccinated infants and children, those who do not receive vaccine in a timely manner and those who have never been infected with measles are high-risk groups. Parents are urged to ensure timely vaccination of children under one year old and those who have not completed the MMR vaccine series and avoid bringing unvaccinated children to the affected areas in order to prevent infection. Travelers planning to visit affected areas are advised to visit the outpatient travel clinic at 26 contracted hospitals in the nation to determine the need for MMR vaccination 2 to 4 weeks prior to their trip. If symptoms pertaining to measels infection such as fever, fatigue, nasopharyngitis and obviously swollen lymph nodes behind the ears, and generalized irregular papules, joint pain or arthritis develop after returning to Taiwan from affected areas, please 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 http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).