Mallorca has issued an urgent alert following a measles outbreak traced to a young tourist, resulting in six confirmed cases on the Balearic Islands. This marks the first occurrence of the disease in the region this year.
The Directorate General of Public Health has initiated surveillance and contact tracing protocols to curb the spread of the highly contagious illness. Health officials anticipate further cases, citing an incubation period that can extend up to 23 days. None of the affected individuals are hospitalized, and confirmed cases have been isolated at home.
The outbreak began with a foreign child from a European country on holiday in Mallorca, who sought care at the Son Espases hospital's Paediatric Emergency Service on July 19. Secondary cases, including some residents of Mallorca, began showing symptoms in late July, leading to the outbreak's detection last Friday. The child's nationality has not been disclosed.
Public Health is working to identify individuals potentially exposed to the virus, a process that includes tracking flights into Mallorca. Identified individuals are receiving text messages informing them of potential exposure and advising them to monitor for symptoms and check their vaccination status. The outbreak has also been reported to the Ministry of Health.
Five of the six infected individuals were not vaccinated against measles, while the vaccination status of the sixth is unknown. Health officials noted that some subsequent cases were contracted in the hospital's emergency room waiting area, highlighting the virus's high contagiousness. The first case is reported to be a foreign minor on holiday from a European country
While the Balearic Islands have a vaccination coverage rate of 91.11% for the target population, health officials emphasize the need for continued vigilance. The region recorded six measles cases in 2024, a significant increase from no registered cases between 2020 and 2023. Last year, the total number of cases reached 35 across the Balearic Islands, with 24 involving unvaccinated individuals.
Spain had been considered free of endemic measles transmission since 2016, but lost this status in February of the current year. Measles outbreaks have also been reported recently in the UK and the United States.
The individual went to the Paediatric Emergency Service of the Son Espases hospital on July 19
