South Korea CDC issues travel advisory for the Philippines due to measles outbreak
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory for travelers to the Philippines today in response to the measles outbreak in the Southeast Asian country, according to an Arirang report today.
The Philippines is battling a measles outbreak, in which well over 3,000 confirmed cases have been reported and another 15,000 cases are suspected.
Image/CIA
Earlier this month, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued a travel notice for the Philippines.
Korean health authorities are recommending that all travelers to the region should make sure they’ve received their two-stage measles vaccination before going abroad.
Measles (rubeola) is classified as a member of the genus Morbillivirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. Measles is a highly contagious rash illness that is transmitted from person to person by direct contact with respiratory droplets or airborne spread. After exposure, up to 90% of susceptible persons develop measles. The average incubation period for measles is 10 to 12 days from exposure to prodrome and 14 days from exposure to rash (range: 7–21 days).
Persons with measles are infectious 4 days before through 4 days after rash onset. The most commonly reported complications associated with measles infection were pneumonia, otitis media, and diarrhea. For every 1,000 reported measles cases, approximately one case of encephalitis and two to three deaths occur.
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