Okinawa Japan Issues Measles Warning For Children and Pregnant Women

Based upon an expanding measles outbreak, Japan’s Okinawa Prefectural Government has issued a health warning for anyone visiting the resort islands.

And, for those pregnant women and children unable to get vaccinated, health experts urge them to refrain from traveling to areas where a measles outbreak has been reported.

Because of this measles outbreak, more than 3,500 people have canceled visits to the island by May 3, 2018, reports the Japan Times.

This measles outbreak on Okinawa island is believed to have started when an international traveler visited the prefecture on March 20, 2018.

Since then, 91 measles cases have been reported as of May 3, 2018. One of these measles cases has been identified on a local U.S. military base.

Okinawa is a Japanese prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in the East China Sea located between Taiwan and Japan's mainland.

Additionally, this measles outbreak has now reached Aichi Prefecture, where 17 measles cases have been reported. The Aichi Prefecture is located near the center of the Japanese main island of Honshu.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Verification Commission for Measles Elimination verified Japan as having achieved “measles elimination” status in March 2015, and this status has been maintained to date.

But, Japan has continued to report measles cases coming from overseas. During 2017, Japan reported 189 measles cases.

The concept of immunization was started in Japan in 1849 when Jenner’s cowpox vaccine seed was introduced. In 1978, the Japanese government launched a measles vaccination program for preschoolers offering free vaccinations.

But as a single vaccination for measles was found to be insufficient for some to acquire immunity, the government changed the program in 2006 so that children also receive two shots.

According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), more than 90 percent of people exposed to the measles virus will get infected if they have not been vaccinated or did not have the disease in the past.

The only effective preventive measure is to get vaccinated, according to the NIID.

The NIID advises those who only had one shot to get another, to make sure they are fully immune. Measles vaccinations in Japan can cost around ¥10,000, but some municipalities offer a subsidy to cover some of the fees.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend all travelers to Japan ensure their measles vaccination is effective.

In the USA, two approved measles vaccines are available, MMR-II and ProQuad.

International travelers can request a vaccine appointment with a pharmacy at this link.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector vaccine prices for general information.

Vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.