The U.S. has halted in-bound flights carrying Afghanistan evacuees after four cases of measles were detected among Afghans who already arrived in the country, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday.
Ms. Psaki told reporters the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended putting the Afghanistan flights on hold “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Afghans diagnosed with measles have been quarantined in accordance with public health guidelines, she added.
Ms. Psaki did not say where the cases were located. Afghans coming into the U.S. have arrived from military bases in Germany and Qatar, while others have left directly from Afghanistan on commercial flights.
All Afghans arriving in the U.S. are mandated to be vaccinated for measles as a condition for entry into the country.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be spread airborne through coughing or sneezing. It can also be transmitted if a person touches a contaminated surface and then touches their nose or eyes.