US tourists have been warned of the danger of coming to Europe after a holidaymaker took measles back to the USA. Public Health – Seattle & King County warned passengers transiting through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on May 10 and 11 may have come into contact with the infected traveller.
The warning comes weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an alert noting that the number of recorded cases of measles in 2024 so far had already matched reported cases through the whole of 2023. Public health officials confirmed the infected individual had travelled through the airport between May 10 and 11.
They said the person likely caught measles while in Europe. Seattle health officials said people who believe they may have come into contact with the infected individual should check they have either been vaccinated or had measles previously.
Should they develop an illness they should immediately call their healthcare provider and avoid heading to a clinic or hospital before informing staff about the potential infection.
UK health bosses previously issued an urgent warning to people planning to travel abroad to make sure they are fully vaccinated – in the wake of an alert about increases in people catching serious diseases overseas and bringing them home.
Last month The UKSHA released new figures show soaring levels of illnesses including dengue and malaria caused by exposure to mosquitos in travellers coming home to the UK. Those illnesses can cause severe disease, and officials say it highlights the need for travellers to take precautions to reduce health risks while abroad. Cases were confirmed in parts of the UK in individuals who had recently been abroad.
Now the UKHSA has said people thinking of travelling need to take action now. It highlighted people going on summer holidays, as well as Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, of the importance of ensuring they and any children, are fully up to date with all routine NHS vaccinations before travelling overseas – as well as checking they have any necessary additional vaccines for the countries and regions they are visiting.
Illnesses which people have caught abroad and brought back to the UK include measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, meningitis, and tetanus. The UKHSA also warned that even when vaccinated it can take a few weeks for the immunity to take effect. It also said that some countries insist on people being vaccinated before they are allowed in – so failure to do so could see people turned away at the border. The Travel Health Pro website – supported by UKHSA – has up-to-date information on health risks in countries across the world and is a one-stop-shop for information to help people plan their trip abroad. Ideally travellers should consult their GP, practice nurse, pharmacist, or travel clinic 4 to 6 weeks before their trip for individual advice, travel vaccines and malaria prevention tablets, if relevant for their destination. Foreign travel advice is also available on GOV.UK.
In 2023, 634 dengue cases were reported in returning travellers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, aligning closely with those in 2019, during the pre-pandemic period, when 790 cases were reported. During 2023, most reported cases of dengue were acquired in Southern Asia and South-Eastern Asia, particularly India.
However, there has been an increase in cases acquired in Central America and the Caribbean, due to recent outbreaks in these parts of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a significant rise in global dengue cases in 2023, resulting in over five million cases and 5000 deaths worldwide.
A total of 1,637 malaria cases were confirmed in England from January to October 2023. Cases returned to pre-pandemic levels, similar to the 1,719 cases reported in the UK in 2019 and matching closely with the average of 1,612 cases reported between 2010 and 2019. The WHO reports that in 2022, global malaria cases were estimated at 249 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 16 million compared to 2019.
Eight Zika cases were reported in England in 2023 – a similar level to 2022. Case numbers peaked in 2016 with 725 cases, reflecting the Zika outbreak in America that year, before decreasing in the following years. While cases of Zika are low, the infection poses a particular threat to pregnant women and those trying to conceive.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said: “Nobody wants to get stricken down with sickness on their holidays or when travelling far away from home and it can be especially stressful and worrying if your child gets ill – sadly this does happen, but for many serious illnesses it is preventable.
“That’s why it’s so important if you’re going on holidays overseas to be sure that you and all your family, especially young children, are up to date with all routine NHS vaccines well before you travel, in particular both MMR vaccines.
“Measles is one of the most highly infectious diseases and some countries are currently seeing very large outbreaks. There is also the risk of returning home and spreading measles to unvaccinated family and friends, with infants and pregnant women at high risk of serious illness or life-long complications.”
The World Health Organization recently repeated their warning on the growing measles threat due to sub-optimal vaccination rates around the world, highlighting that more than half the world faces high measles risk, including parts of Europe, where the organisation warned of a sharp increase in measles cases in the European region, putting millions at risk.
There is also a real concern of unvaccinated travellers bringing diseases like measles back into the UK from other countries experiencing high circulation, putting other unprotected family members, friends and those in their community at risk.
UKHSA’s current childhood vaccinations campaign is reminding parents of the importance of ensuring their children are vaccinated on time. Parents should check their child’s Red Book now to ensure that children have had their MMR and other routine vaccines. If you’re unsure, get in touch with your GP practice and if needed they will bring you or your child up to date. Anyone, including adults, can get the MMR vaccines for free on the NHS if they have missed out.