ATLANTA, June 29 (UPI) -- U.S. health officials warn summer travelers they risk spreading illness from one sneeze or cough from a person with measles if they are not vaccinated.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said measles virus is highly infectious, and while Americans have high vaccination rates, there have been measles outbreaks abroad.
People from the United States have been infected while traveling and brought the virus home with them, Fauci said.
"People come into the country who are unvaccinated and were infected, and people who live in the United States who go traveling come back and bring it back, and they themselves expose other people who are unvaccinated," Fauci said in a statement. "However, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor before traveling to make sure you're fully vaccinated before you leave."
