After being declared measles-free in 2014, measles is back in very large numbers in Mongolia in 2016, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel notice for travelers to the East Asian country.

Image/geralt
Image/geralt

Mongolia reported no confirmed measles cases in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2015, they reported more than 1600 confirmed cases, just a year after being declared measles free.

The CDC reported last week the measles outbreak in Mongolia has reached more than 19,000 cases nationwide and 59 infant deaths. Most of the infected have been students and infants. The capital city of Ulaanbaatar is most seriously hit.

CDC recommends that travelers to Mongolia protect themselves by making sure they are vaccinated against measles, particularly infants 6–11 months of age (1 dose of measles vaccine) and children 12 months of age or older (2 doses of measles vaccine). Clinicians should keep measles in mind when treating patients with fever and rash, especially if the patient has recently traveled internationally.

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