Key facts

Measles is a very contagious virus that can make children very sick. In a community where no one is vaccinated, one person with measles can infect between 12 and 18 other people.

Transmission

Coughing, sneezing or close personal contact (infected droplets in the air are breathed in by another person)
Direct contact with infected nose or throat mucous

Symptoms

Can start with high fever, runny nose, cold, cough, red and watery eyes and sometimes white spots inside the mouth.
After a few days, a flat red blotchy rash appears, usually starting on the head, face and upper neck, and continues to spreads to the rest of the body.
In severe cases, measles can cause blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, ear infections, or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Prevention

Routine vaccination of children
Mass vaccination campaigns with social mobilization in countries where the disease is common and causes many deaths
Rapid detection and referral of suspected cases to health facilities
Reduced overcrowding in shelters
Improved ventilation in shelters
Separation of people sick with measles for four days after they develop a rash
Coughing etiquette (cough into sleeve, handkerchief or tissue, NOT the hand)
Handwashing with soap
Social mobilization and behaviour change communication

Vulnerable people

Children who are not vaccinated, especially those who are poorly nourished or have vitamin A deficiency
Adults aged more than 20 years old
Pregnant women
Displaced populations and those living in cramped or crowded conditions
People whose immune systems are compromised (for example, by leukaemia or HIV infection)

If an epidemic occurs

Rapidly detect and refer cases to health facilities
Support mass vaccination campaigns
Isolate sick people (separate them from healthy people)
Promote coughing etiquette (cough into sleeve, handkerchief or tissue, NOT the hand)
Promote handwashing with soap
Check nutritional status of children under five years old and promote nutritional support to those who are malnourished or sick
Promote exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life
Increase social mobilization and behaviour change communication
Reduce overcrowding in shelters
Improve ventilation in shelters

Community-based assessment - questions

When did people start to fall sick with measles?
How many people have fallen sick with measles? Where?
How many people have died? Where?
How many people live in the affected community or area? How many children under five years of age live in the area?
Who and where are the vulnerable people?
Are children under five most affected? Or are other age groups, occupations, etc., more affected?
Are children in the affected community vaccinated for measles or not?
Is a vaccination campaign planned?
Do strong cultural beliefs or perceptions about vaccination prevent children from being vaccinated?
Where are the local health facilities and services? (Include traditional and community carers.)
What are the community’s habits, practices and beliefs about caring for and feeding sick
people? When babies and infants are sick, do mothers continue to breastfeed them?
Is a social mobilization or health promotion programme in place?
Which sources of information do people use most?
Are rumours or is misinformation about the disease spreading in the community?

Measles

Volunteer actions

25. Mass vaccination campaigns 24. Routine vaccinations 01. Community-based surveillance 02. Community mapping 03. Communicating with the community 04. Referral to health facilities 05. Volunteer protection and safety 12. Managing fever 13. Breastfeeding 14. Infant and young child feeding in emergencies 15. Measuring acute malnutrition in emergencies 16. Measuring the height and weight of children 17. Measuring mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) 18. Measuring oedema (water retention) in children 19. Psychosocial support 20. Isolating sick people 22. Vitamin A supplementation 26. Coughing etiquette 27. Shelter and ventilation 28. Social distancing 34. Handwashing with soap 43. Social mobilization and behaviour change