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Recent local measles cases caused San Mateo County Health joined Bay Area health officials in urging everyone to stay up to date on virus vaccinations and watch for symptoms after travel or exposure.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and can cause serious illness, complications or death. While it can affect anyone, it is most common among children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The best protection against measles is two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which provides lifelong protection. This is particularly important for anyone traveling internationally in the coming months, health authorities said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there have been 64 confirmed cases of measles in 17 jurisdictions in 2024, and more than 90 percent of those cases are related to international travel, as measles circulates in many regions of the world, including popular tourist and business destinations. Most of the U.S. cases have occurred among children 12 months or older who had not received the MMR vaccine.
With three major airports, the Bay Area is a hub for international travel, increasing the potential for exposure to this highly contagious virus.
For individuals or families planning to travel abroad, anyone who is not vaccinated against measles is at increased risk of becoming infected, so health officials urged people to plan ahead for international travel and check the destination and CDC's Global Measles Travel Health Notice for additional travel health advice, including where measles outbreaks have been reported.
They also urged people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles for three weeks after returning to the United States.
While MMR vaccination rates have been high in the Bay Area, it is important to confirm vaccination history.
Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, followed 2 to 4 days later by a rash. The virus is spread by direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Infectious droplets can remain in indoor air for several hours.
About one in five people infected with measles requires hospitalization, and between 1 and 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurological complications, according to the CDC.
Measles poses the greatest risk to children under 5 years of age, adults over 20 years of age, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.
Vaccination is highly effective in preventing measles. MMR vaccine is recommended for children 12 to 15 months of age, with a second dose given between 4 and 6 years of age. Infants 6 to 12 months of age can begin vaccination early before traveling abroad. Adolescents and adults with no evidence of immunity should be vaccinated immediately.
“While the risk of exposure to measles in the Bay Area is still low, it is important to ensure that everyone has the strongest protections against this dangerous disease,” said San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana.
Health officials who joined the call include those from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma counties and the city of Berkeley.
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