Measles symptoms: Warning to UK holidaymakers amid disease outbreak in popular holiday destination Tenerife

A health warning has been issued for popular holiday destination Tenerife as the Ministry of Health has confirmed a measles outbreak. According to Canarian Weekly, the measle outbreak is affecting four people so far but it has the ability to spread rapidly.

The first case was a young girl who had not been vaccinated. Two other cases are infants who had not yet reached the age for their first dose of the vaccine and the other is a young adult who experienced a milder form of the disease as they have been vaccinated. 

The paper reports that the Directorate General of Public Health has monitored over 400 contacts of the affected individuals to check their vaccination status and inform them of measures to take if they begin to exhibit symptoms. The outbreak highlights the importance of proper vaccination.

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Spain free of endemic measles transmission due to the low number of cases. However, recent reports indicate cases in nine regions, with five of them experiencing outbreaks. As of the first week of May, Spain has reported 42 confirmed cases of measles.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection. Listed below are the initial symptoms of measles.

• a high temperature (fever);
• a runny or blocked nose;
• sneezing;
• a cough;
• sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light;
• a few days later, a red-brown blotchy rash will appear. This may start on the head or upper neck, before spreading outwards to the rest of the body.

Most childhood rashes are not measles but you should consult your GP without delay if you suspect it is measles, symptoms worsen, temperature increases to above 38°C or temperature stays high after other symptoms have gone. It is important to seek medical attention promptly if measles is suspected, as complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis, and severe dehydration.