Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Potential for Contracting Measles In Ukraine

U.S. Embassy Kyiv informs U.S. citizens that currently the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of a measles epidemic in Romania and throughout Europe.  It considers Ukraine to be an “endemic transmission” country for measles, and several cases of measles have been reported near the Ukrainian border.  Ukraine is potentially a fertile environment for measles transmission due to a low rate of vaccination in-country, although clinics report being well stocked with MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines.  We encourage you to be up to date on all vaccinations as recommended by the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: children as young as six months may initiate the MMR series, and travelers aged six years or older should have had two doses of MMR vaccine prior to traveling to an area with a current measles outbreak.  Those in need of vaccinations in certain areas of Ukraine may need to seek them from sources outside of the country.

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