Measles outbreak among children ≤15 years old, Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya, India, 2017

Background: Of 1115 measles outbreaks during 2015 in India, 61,255 suspected measles cases were reported. In 2016, a measles outbreak was reported at East and West Jaintia Hills districts in Meghalaya State, India. Objectives: The outbreak was investigated to describe the epidemiology, estimate vaccination coverage and vaccine effectiveness (VE), determine risk factors for the disease, and recommend control and prevention measures. Methods: A measles case was defined as new-onset fever with maculopapular rash occurring between May 1, 2016, and January 21, 2017, in a resident of East and West Jaintia Hills. Cases were identified by active and passive surveillance. Serum and urine samples were collected from cases with laboratory diagnosis for confirmation. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to estimate vaccination coverage, VE, and risk factors for the disease. Results: We identified 382 cases (51% female). The attack rate was 24% with three deaths. The case fatality rate was