Measles outbreaks are increasing worldwide.

Measles spread quickly and can be dangerous - protection is simple: get vaccinated!

Swiss recommendations: All persons born after 1963 who have no documented protection against the infection (antibodies or 2 documented vaccinations) should be vaccinated twice with MMR vaccine at one month interval. In the event of an epidemic in the region or contact with a measles case, vaccination is recommended from the age of 6 months.

Information in general:

• Performing the rituals of Hajj and Umrah is strenuous and often involves long walks in hot weather. Pilgrims must ensure that they are as physically fit as possible.
  
• Ideally, pilgrims should see their doctor at least four to six weeks before the Hajj for advice on vaccinations, food and water precautions, risks from insect bites, heat exhaustion and how to avoid injury.
  
• Pilgrims should have travel insurance that covers health emergencies and COVID-19.
  
• Pilgrims with pre-existing medical conditions should discuss with their doctor whether traveling is an option, for detailed KSA recommendations, see LINK.
  
• If taking medication, ensure that they have a sufficient supply for the time abroad and that they have a copy of their prescription with them. Always carry medical documents and ample supply of prescribed medications if you have a chronic condition. Keep these in their original packaging to avoid issues with customs.
  
• COVID-19 Travel Protocols: Although global restrictions have eased, Saudi Arabia still enforces health measures for travelers, see LINK.
  
• For other information and general issues: see Ministry of Hajj/Umrah website.
  

General precautions:

• Disposable razor blades recommended for the obligatory head shave
  
• Drink plenty of fluids!
  
• Avoid direct sunlight.
  
• Apply good personal hygiene (hand washing, disinfection, etc.), handkerchiefs when coughing or sneezing and disposal of used handkerchiefs in a waste bin.
  
• Wear masks while performing rituals and in crowded places.
  
• Avoid contact with people who appear ill and do not share their personal belongings.
  
• Avoid visiting and coming into contact with camels on farms, markets or in stables, and avoid drinking unpasteurized milk or eating raw meat or animal products that have not been thoroughly cooked.
  
• Practice good food and drinking water hygiene to prevent food and waterborne diseases.
  
• Mosquito repellent, especially during the day (dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases!).
  

Required vaccinations (for details, see website of the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

• The meningococcal vaccination (quadrivalent conjugate vaccine, Menveo® ®/Menquadfi®)) is mandatory for all persons aged 1 year and over and must be administered at least 10 days before departure. Vaccination with a conjugate vaccine is valid for 5 years.
  
• Poliomyelitis vaccination: In addition to the basic immunization, a polio booster vaccination is required if you are traveling from countries where wild polioviruses or circulating polioviruses have been reported (see LINK). The booster should have been administered between four weeks and 12 months before entering the Kingdom.
  
• Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for all travelers over 9 months of age when entering Saudi Arabia from countries or areas at risk of yellow fever.

Recommended vaccinations:

• All pilgrims should have up-to-date routine vaccinations (diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis/poliomyelitis/measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, etc.) and should have a booster vaccination against polio according to Swiss ECTM recommendation.
  
• Hepatitis A vaccination.
  
• Hepatitis B vaccination (especially for men due to the frequent shaving of the head on site).
  
• COVID-19 vaccination (complete of all required doses!) is recommended for all pilgrims aged 12 year or older with a Kingdom approved COVID-19 vaccine: see LINK.
  
• Influenza vaccination: according to KSA: for all pilgrims recommended, especially for pregnant women, children under five, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems.
• For other vaccinations depending on risk: see country page at www.healthytravel.ch. 

Authorities are concerned about the risk of further spread due to population high mobility, insecurity, and the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan through a porous border.

Distribution of suspected and confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, as of 24 May 2026:

WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as very high at the national level, high at regional levels, and low at the global level (including Switzerland and the EU/EEW). For details, see LINK.

ECDC: Due to the very recent declaration of the outbreak and the uncertainties related to the
epidemiological information, it is probable that the outbreak is much larger than what is currently
being reported – not only in regard to the number of affected cases, but also to its geographical
extent.

ECDC assesses the risk for EU/EEA travellers in affected areas as low if precautions (see below) are followed but emphasizes uncertainties and rapid evolution.

ECDC considers that screening of returning travellers from affected areas (DRC, Uganda) would not be an effective measure to prevent introduction to Europe. This consideration is based on the lessons learned and results of the large EVD outbreak in West Africa between 2013 and 2016, where tens of thousands of cases were reported, transmission was ongoing in large urban centres, and hundreds of EU/EEA humanitarian and military personnel were deployed to the affected areas. Screening incoming travellers is time- and resource-consuming and will not effectively identify infected cases.

Priority should instead be given to providing travellers with clear information on symptoms, routes of transmission, and what to do if symptoms develop after arrival in the EU/EEA. For details, see ECDC Threat Assessment, 21 May 2026.

The situation is evolving rapidly. Avoid non-essential travel to affected areas in DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. In case travel cannot be avoided, see precautions below:

General preventive measures:

• Wash hands regularly and carefully using soap and water (or alcohol gel if soap is unavailable).
  
• Avoid contact with sick people who have symptoms, such as fever, muscle pain, and rash.
  
• Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids.
  
• Avoid visiting healthcare facilities in the filovirus-affected areas for nonurgent medical care or non-medical reasons.
  
• Avoid contact with dead bodies or items that have been in contact with dead bodies, participating in funeral or burial rituals, or attending a funeral or burial. 
  
• Avoid handling, cooking, or eating bush/wild meat (meat of wild/feral mammals killed for food).
  
• Wash and peel fruit and vegetables before consumption.
  
• Avoid visiting mines or bat caves and contact with all wild animals; alive or dead, particularly bats.
  
• If visiting mines or caves inhabited by fruit bat colonies, wear gloves and other appropriate protective clothing, including masks and eye protection.
  
• Practice safer sex.
  

Of note: there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment against Ebola diseased caused by Bundibugyo virus. For humanitarian missions, consultation with a travel medicine specialist is recommended.

While in the outbreak area and for 21 days after leaving:

• Watch for symptoms.
• Follow quarantine measures established by your local health authorities.

! In case of symptoms such as fever or feeling feverish during your stay in and for 21 days after leaving north-eastern D.R. Congo (province of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu) and /or Uganda, especially the affected areas:

• Separate yourself from others (isolate) immediately.
  
• Do not travel.
  
• By phone: contact local health authorities or a healthcare facility for a thorough evaluation of your risk (e.g. tropical institute or travel clinic or university hospital infectious disease unit).
  
• Always state that you were in the affected areas and you may have had a possible exposure to Ebola (incubation period: 2-21 days). 
  
• While under investigation as a suspected case, please also raise the issue of a malaria test and other investigations as necessary based on the exposure region.
• Details for Ebola disease: see BAG and RKI (in German) or ECDC (in English).

Swiss ECTM recommendations (as of 28 May 2026, subject to change according to the evolving situation):
A suspected case is:

1. A symptomatic person (see FOPH case definition) with a history of stay within the last 21 days in north-eastern D.R. Congo (province of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu) and/or Uganda.    
                             AND
   
2. Having had a high-risk exposure* - evaluated by a specialist in infectious diseases or tropical medicine (in case of doubt, contact the Geneva Reference Centre for Emerging Virus Diseases).
   

Such cases should be isolated, tested, and reported to the Cantonal Physician and the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health within 2 hours.

*High-risk exposure includes:

• Participation in local funerals; or
  
• Contact with a sick patient at home, during transport, or in a healthcare facility; or
• Attendance at a local healthcare facility.

Measles outbreaks are increasing worldwide.

Measles spread quickly and can be dangerous - protection is simple: get vaccinated!

Swiss recommendations: All persons born after 1963 who have no documented protection against the infection (antibodies or 2 documented vaccinations) should be vaccinated twice with MMR vaccine at one month interval. In the event of an epidemic in the region or contact with a measles case, vaccination is recommended from the age of 6 months.