If you plan to go to Israel for Passover, or for the summer, public health officials urge you to make sure you’ve had your measles shots.

Since September, more than 900 cases of measles have been reported in Israel, with about 700 cases in the cities of Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been several measles cases in our region including one in Rockland and several in New York City.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness spread by contact with an infected person, through coughing and sneezing. Measles virus can also remain active and contagious for up to two hours on infected surfaces. Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

Some people with measles can also get an ear infection, diarrhea, serious lung infection, or, even more rarely, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

CDC recommends that:

• Travelers who plan to go to Israel check their immunization
status and visit their doctor if they are not immune to measles or are
unsure of immunity status.

• Unvaccinated travelers should get vaccinated as early as
possible before leaving for Israel.

• Travelers returning from Israel should see a health care provider if they develop signs or symptoms of measles. Travelers who develop fever and other symptoms of measles while still in Israel should get prompt medical attention before returning to the United States. Contact U.S. consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for assistance in locating health care providers.

• Travelers with fever and other symptoms of measles should limit their contact with others as much as possible, to prevent the potential spread of the disease.

• Clinicians seeing a patient with fever and other symptoms of measles should ask about vaccination history and any recent international travel.