On March 29, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s third imported case of measles confirmed in a 24-year-old female who resides in southern Taiwan. During March 4 and 9, the case traveled to Thailand. On March 9, she began to developed coughing and runny nose. On March 20, she experienced fever. On March 21, she began to have rashes. On March 28, measles infection was confirmed in her. As of now, she has recovered. Based on the incubation period of measles, it is determined that the case is imported. To promptly prevent the spread of the disease, health authorities have implemented all the necessary prevention control measures upon receiving the report of the measles case. All 346 contacts of the case were asked to monitor their health and educated about measles. Currently, none of the contacts has developed suspected symptoms.

While infectious (3/18), the case took the train (Northbound Train No. 3138) that departed at 10:18 a.m. from Hsinchu to go to Chiayi and took another train (Southbound Train No. 3217) that departed at 7:21 p.m. from Chiayi to return to Hsinchu. Since the case took those two trains, Taiwan CDC urges passengers who took the same trains to monitor their health for 18 days (until April 5, 2012). If suspected symptoms such as coughing, runny nose or conjunctivitis develop, please seek immediate medical assistance and inform the physician of any relevant contact history to facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment. To request assistance from Taiwan CDC personnel, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922 if calling from a cell phone.

Measles is a highly infectious respiratory disease that is spread by contact with droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of an infected person, either directly or through aerosol transmission. Measles is more common during late winter and spring. Early symptoms include fever (over 38℃), coryza, cough, and conjunctivitis. Rash usually starts from behind the ears and spread to the face and down across the body. A case remains infectious four days before and after the onset of rash. Taiwan CDC reminds the public to seek immediate medical attention when sick and avoid going to work or school or taking public transportation to reduce further transmission. According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, over the past decade, about ten to a few tens of measles cases occurred in Taiwan and imported measles cases have previously resulted in nosocomial clusters. Taiwan CDC states that imported cases are inevitable due to frequent international travel and exchange. Nevertheless, imported cases can still pose a threat to public health in Taiwan. Hence, Taiwan CDC once again reminds parents the importance of timely vaccination for children. 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. For more information on measles, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.