Measles alert for travelers to South East Asia

Measles cases are on the rise in South Korea amid measles outbreaks around the globe. Around 70% of the patients reportedly got infected while traveling to Southeast Asian countries. Symptoms of measles include coughing, runny nose, fever and red rashes that break out all over the body.  In Viet Nam, the number of suspected patients has surpassed 70-thousand this year.

The disease which took a backseat during the pandemic is on the rise again in a global outbreak, causing an uptick in domestic patients as well. So far this year, as of May 3, measles patients in the country numbered 52, up 1.3 fold from last year. 

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency urges those showing symptoms of fever and rashes within three weeks of returning from a country with a measles outbreak to get examined.