Measles/Rubella Dashboard

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by measles virus. Patients with measles present with fever and with a rash. The rash looks like small, red, flat spots that start on the face/head and then spread downwards over the body. The rash does not form blisters, nor is it itchy or painful. Other signs include cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (running nose). Complications of measles can include diarrhea, dehydration, middle ear infection, brain infection (encephalitis), blindness and death. Complications are more serious in those who catch measles as young infants (under 2 years of age), in children who are malnourished and people who are immunosuppressed.

Any person who is not immune to measles can catch measles from an infected person. Once a person has had measles, they are immune to the virus. Vaccination is another way to become immune to measles. Vaccinated individuals are protected from severe symptoms of measles, mostly for the rest of their life. Communities become vulnerable to outbreaks of measles when more than 5% of persons are not vaccinated.

Measles is spread by contact with saliva or mucus droplets from the mouth or nose of an infected person when they breathe, cough, or
sneeze. These droplets can remain airborne for up to two hours in enclosed areas and can infect susceptible individuals. Measles is one of the most infectious viruses known to humankind.

The first sign of measles is usually a high fever with a rash, cough, running nose, and conjunctivitis . The rash starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body. Koplik spots (white spots) in the mouth can also be an indication of measles but these are relatively hard to identify, especially when health care workers have not seen many cases of measles. People with a weak immune system due to HIV, cancer or other diseases often do not develop a rash. Measles can lead to complications like pneumonia (infection of the lungs), blindness, diarrhoea, dehydration, brain infection (encephalitis) or death.

Explore our comprehensive dashboard for recent measles and rubella trends.