If you plan to spend a vacation in Morocco, where cases of measles are increasing, or in a country being in a similar situation and you are in contact with children, Public Health France recommends checking your vaccination status before your stay.
- Measles is an extremely contagious viral infection, which is characterized by high fever, cough, rhinopharyngitis and significant conjunctivitis, then by an eruption on the skin.
- In Morocco, “the epidemic has reached a historic level and totals nearly 25,000 suspect cases including 6,300 confirmed cases and 120 deaths.” In France, 39 cases from the Maghreb country or linked to imports were recorded between 2024 and 2025.
- In the context of the school holidays, the French health authorities thus recommend checking their vaccination status with their doctor before leaving for a territory where the disease is actively spread.
Strong fever, cough, rhinopharyngitis, conjunctivitis, rash … For several months, measles, a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by air or by direct contact, returns to many countries. This is the case in Morocco. Since 2023, an upsurge in cases of this pathology, due to a paramyxovirus of the kind of morbillivirus, has not stopped gaining momentum. “The epidemic has reached a historic level and totals nearly 25,000 suspect cases including 6,300 confirmed cases and 120 deaths (…) A national catch -up campaign for children under the age of 18 was organized from October 28, 2024 to January 27 2025 by the Moroccan authorities to stop the spread of the virus “, said Public Health France.
Measles: 39 cases imported or linked to an import after a stay in Morocco identified between 2024 and 2025
In France, the health authorities have also started to observe an increase in cases imported from measles in France from the Maghreb country since January 1, 2025. Public health data France13 cases imported or linked to an import after a stay in Morocco were declared in several French regions against 26 cases in 2024, “Or a total of 39 cases imported or linked to an import between 2024 and 2025” 26 of which were hospitalized. Another observation: children under the age of 5 (12 cases) and young adults (20 cases) are particularly affected. Contaminated persons are in the vast majority of which are non-vaccinated (23 cases) or ignore their vaccination status (9 cases).
The measles vaccine is effective after two doses in more than 95 % of cases
In the context of the school holidays, where family trips and groupings can promote the spread of the virus, the French authorities highlight the importance of vaccination, especially for people in contact with children, in the event of a stay project. As a reminder, measles, the period of contagiousness of which extends from five days before five days after the rash, can cause severe complications, such as pneumopathies or acute encephalitis, in infants and young adults. However, adults are not spared from serious complications.
This is why Public Health France strongly advises to verify its vaccination status with its doctor before traveling. “In France, all children, adolescents and young adults born after 1980 must be vaccinated against measles. It is compulsory before entering community for all infants born since January 1, 2018 (first dose at 12 months and second dose Between 16 and 18 months old). “ For people not or incompletely vaccinated, born from 1980 and aged at least 12 months, a vaccination catch-up is recommended regardless of the history vis-à-vis the three diseases (measles, mumps, rubella-ROR). Since the vaccine is effective in more than 95 % of cases after two doses, they can receive two doses respecting a minimum period of one month between the two doses. It is possible for the French who received a first dose of vaccine before the age of 12 months to benefit from a third dose.
