Majorca health alert as measles outbreak erupts and officials launch hunt to trace tourists on infected holiday flight

AN ALERT has been issued for a popular Brit holiday spot following a measles outbreak as officials launch a hunt for exposed tourists. Spain‘s Ministry of Health confirmed six cases of measles in the Balearic Islands last week. A measles breakout has been announced in Majorca Credit: Getty Officials launch a hunt to trace potentially infected tourists Credit: Getty Health officials identified the outbreak’s patient zero as a child holidaying in Majorca from another European country. The child went to the Paediatric Emergency Service of the Son Espases hospital on July 19. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Desperate officials have activated surveillance and contact tracing protocol to try to stop the spread of the highly contagious disease. Since the detection of the first cases, public health officials have begun a search to locate people who may have been exposed to the virus. Eight key measles symptoms everyone should know Identified individuals receive an SMS informing them of the exposure and asking them to check their vaccination status and remain vigilant for symptoms within 23 days of contact. The number of potential contacts is “very high” since the investigation also requires the tracking of flights. Officials are not ruling out the possibility of more cases in the coming days. Director General of Public Health, Elena Esteban said: “It is to be expected that there will be some other cases.” Most read in The Sun Measles in one of the most contagious viral diseases known with the capability of infecting 90 per cent of unprotected people who come into close contact with an infected person. None of the six people affected have been hospitalised. Officials say the incubation period can be up to 23 days with the initial outbreak occurring at the end of July but only detected on Friday. The nationality of the child is not yet known. Five of the six infected people were not vaccinated, while the vaccination status of the sixth is unknown. Complete protection against measles is achieved with two doses of the vaccine and the Balearic Islands currently have 91.11% coverage of the target population. Esteban said: “We must not let our guard down.” The six affected have had to isolate themselves in their homes. The outbreak occurs in a context of increasing measles cases both in Spain and internationally. Spain had been considered free of endemic measles transmission since 2016, but in February of this year it lost that status. It comes as an urgent measles alter was issued in Tenerife after a Brit child fell ill in June. Hundreds of people were contacted as a result. Comment now