Measles outbreaks hit ski resorts; Check vaccination status before hitting the slopes

Those traveling to popular destinations for skiing and snowboarding would be wise to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, and especially their children, said Dutch public health institute RIVM. The warning comes as measles outbreaks are reported in countries such as Austria, Italy Switzerland, and other European nations, raising concerns about the spread of the virus in crowded ski areas filled with international visitors. Aside from the ski sites, the RIVM also warned of measles outbreaks in Morocco and Romania.

The February school vacation is already underway in the north of the Netherlands, and is set to begin everywhere else from Friday evening. Warnings have been issued about diagnosed measles infections in the Upper Austrian ski resort of Ski Amadé in Gmundsen, as well as in the resort-filled Austrian state, Tyrol.

From the start of the year through February 5, officials confirmed 47 measles cases in Austria, according to the most recent data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). That is not enough to trigger a negative travel advice for mumps, measles or rubella (MMR), according to the RIVM. "But it is always wise to get vaccinated, if you have not done so yet. Measles is on the rise throughout Europe, including in the Netherlands. This is mainly because the vaccination rate has decreased in recent years," an RIVM spokesperson told RTL.

The concern is far more serious in Morocco, where some 3,631 measles cases were confirmed in the first month of the year as part of an extensive outbreak dating back to October 2023, the ECDC stated. It cited World Health Organization data that found there was a 99-percent measles vaccine rate from 2019 to 2023, but speculated that vaccine rates may have fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among European Union countries, Romania has been of serious concern due to rising measles cases. A total of 918 people were diagnosed with the contagious disease just in January, with both a 5-month old girl and a 51-year-old man dying as a result. The baby was not eligible for the MMR vaccine, and the man's vaccination status was unknown.

"These are much larger outbreaks. It is wise to protect yourself if you travel to those countries. If Dutch people want to travel there with babies, we advise them to have the children vaccinated early," the RIVM spokesperson said. Eleven of the 26 measles cases diagnosed in the Netherlands this year involved people who were infected in Morocco, and three others were infected in Romania, the ECDC data showed.

For those requiring a vaccine, it is advised to get vaccinated at least two weeks before traveling. The measles vaccine typically takes one to two weeks to offer full protection, but even last-minute vaccinations are still beneficial before departure.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through tiny droplets in the air. An infected person can be contagious before showing the typical rash, making it difficult to identify and contain. If one infected person encounters ten susceptible individuals, as many as nine of them may become infected.

Travelers, particularly those between the ages of 30 and 40, are advised to be extra cautious. This group may have received only one dose of the measles vaccine as children, leaving them at higher risk for contracting the virus. Individuals born before 1970 might have built up immunity after having contracted the disease naturally.

The RIVM was responding to a new alert from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, which came forward along with other public health organizations in Belgium to get a measles vaccination or a second jab, if necessary. Vivalis, the Brussels health authority, issued the advisory as part of a broader effort to combat the disease’s potential spread.

Ski resorts, often bustling with tourists from various countries, present an ideal setting for the virus to spread rapidly. The Tropical Institute has posted an updated list of affected countries on its website, wanda.be, to inform travelers about the regions where measles outbreaks are occurring.