Following the imported measles case earlier this month in a unvaccinated one-year-old girl who resides in northern Taiwan, health officials report announced this year’s second imported measles case in an 11-month-old girl who visited Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia with her family in mid-February.
On March 5, the baby developed symptoms, including fever, diarrhea, Koplik’s spots and rash. After seeking medical attention several times, the baby’s symptoms persisted. On March 9, she was diagnosed with suspected viral pneumonia and hospitalized. After the case was reported to the health authority for laboratory testing, measles infection was confirmed in the case on March 14.
As of now, the case is hospitalized for treatment. During her trip to Indonesia, she came into contact with a child who had fever and rash. Hence it is determined that the case is an imported case.
During the infectious period (March 1 and 9), the case traveled to Indonesia with her family and a tour group. To prevent further transmission of the disease, the local health authority has implemented a number of prevention measures and identified 537 contacts, including her family members who reside in the same household, tour group members, healthcare personnel and patients that she came into contact with when she sought medical attention, to monitor and follow up until March 27, 2017.
As measles activity in Indonesia, Thailand and Guinea continues to increase and several other countries have reported imported cases from the aforementioned three countries, Taiwan CDC decided to issue a travel notice of Level 1: Watch for measles to the three countries. Currently, Taiwan CDC has issued a travel notice of Level 1: Watch for measles to 10 countries, including China, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Kazakhstan, Romania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
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