US halting flights from Afghanistan due to measles

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - All flights from Afghanistan into the US are being temporarily halted at the requests of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after four cases of measles were detected in Afghans who arrived recently in the country, the White House said on Friday.

Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the decision is being taken "out of an abundance of caution," and the individuals who were diagnosed with measles are currently in quarantine as the CDC carries out contact tracing.

All Afghans who arrive in the US are required to be vaccinated against measles as a condition for arriving in the country, and vaccinations are being distributed at military bases in the US, according to the White House.

Psaki said the Biden administration is "exploring measures" to vaccinate Afghans while they are overseas, but those plans have yet to be implemented.

The US evacuated more than 124,000 people, including at-risk Afghans seeking asylum, during a 15-day period at the end of August as the Taliban took over Afghanistan from the internationally-recognized government.