Measles epidemic around the world... "Make sure to get vaccinated before traveling abroad."

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said measles is prevalent overseas and asked people to leave the country after getting vaccinated if they have plans to travel abroad.

All 49 measles patients in Korea last year were confirmed to have been infected abroad or in contact with infected people, including two travelers who had visited Southeast Asia last month.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data, there were more than 310,000 measles cases worldwide last year, with Europe having the highest number exceeding 100,000, followed by the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is transmitted to the air through coughing or sneezing, and when infected, fever, rash, and gray-white spots appear in the mouth.

In particular, infants have a weak immune system, which can worsen into complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, and encephalitis, and vaccination against measles can prevent 97%.