BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 17, 2019– The Ministry of Health has disseminated a press release to inform the public of the risk of contracting measles and the preventative measures that families are urged to take to avoid this.

The alert was released in light of the rapid spread of measles cases in the United States between the months of January and April of 2019. Statistics compiled by the American institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicate that five hundred and fifty-five individual cases of measles have been confirmed in twenty states, the second greatest number of cases reported in the U.S since the year 2000.

This does call for proactive measures to be taken, due to visits by thousands of American tourists to the country during the summer. The ministry advises the public to practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently with clean running water and soap.

Also, minors under the age of ten years old, with no proof of vaccinations, should be taken to the nearest health centers to be vaccinated.

Anyone traveling to neighboring countries known to be affected by cases of measles is urged to receive vaccinations at least fifteen days before leaving the country. The measles vaccine is free of cost at all public health centers countrywide. Symptoms of the illness include fever, runny-nose, cough and “pink eye”, with a full body rash that ensues three to four days after the fever has begun.