On May 22, 2018, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s eighth imported measles case in a 30-year-old male who resides in northern Taiwan. During May 1 and 7, 2018, he visited Bangkok, Thailand on a business trip. After he returned to Taiwan, he subsequently developed symptoms such as cough and fever beginning May 17. When his symptoms persisted and he developed sensitivity to light and rash on May 19, he sought medical attention. Infection with measles was confirmed in the case on May 22. Based on the case’s activity and exposure history during the incubation period, it is determined that the case acquired his infection in Thailand. As of now, the case is being treated in a negative-pressure isolation ward.

To prevent further transmission of the disease, the local health authority has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 34 contacts, including his colleagues, drivers of the public transport he took, healthcare personnel and patients that he came into contact with when he sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until June 10, 2018. Among them, only 1 driver developed cough and none of the other contacts has developed any suspected symptoms. 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 took the same public transportduring 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 25 measles cases, including 17 indigenous cases and 8 imported cases, have been confirmed in Taiwan. During 2015 and 2017, a cumulative total of 49 measles cases were confirmed in Taiwan, including 30 indigenous cases and 19 imported cases. Specifically, 29 measles cases were confirmed in 2015, 14 were confirmed in 2016 and 6 were confirmed in 2017. The majority of the imported cases came from China (9) and the other came from neighboring countries in Asia.    On the other hand, 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, Greece, Ukraine and France have been hit the hardest by measles, while Romania, Italy, Serbia, 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).