Summer is usually the season when the risks of diseases decline. However, doctors are now warning that there could be a spike in the present measles outbreak this summer, with the cause stemming from increased traveling.
As of the beginning of June, more than 1,000 cases of measles have been reported across the U.S., making it the biggest outbreak since 1992.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, travel is one of the quickest ways to spread measles.
Dr. Brian Chow, an infection disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, tells the Boston Herald: “When people move through airports, and not even stay for very long, they contaminate the air in the airport hours after they leave”.
Symptoms of measles include fever, an itchy rash, and problems with breathing. This disease should not be taken lightly, as it can be fatal.
People who have not been vaccinated or had the disease previously are the only ones at risk.
Measles is commonly spread in the U.S. by unvaccinated people that get infected while abroad. This disease can spread very quickly in non-immunized people.
Dr. Chow also states that “while a child may wake up with a rash in the morning, in the evening they could be in a coma.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics medical journal urges all U.S. citizens to “receive all recommended vaccinations, including measles, before traveling abroad.”
It is predicted by AAA that about 100-million Americans will go on a family vacation this year, with the majority traveling during summer.