As measles cases continue to rise across the United States and as peak travel season nears, health officials are warning international travelers not to fly unless they are fully vaccinated against the virus.
In recent months, dozens of states have reported clusters of the highly contagious viral disease. So far this year, at least 133 people have been hospitalized and three have died from measles in the U.S. All three deaths were among unvaccinated individuals.
Since January, the U.S. has recorded 1,088 confirmed cases of measles — that's higher than the total number of cases during any full year since 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The actual number of cases is believed to be much higher, CDC officials said.
As of May 30, measles cases h