CDC Issues Health Alert on Meningococcal Disease Cases Linked to Travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

On May 20, the CDC issued a health advisory to alert health care providers to cases of meningococcal disease linked to travel to the KSA for Umrah (an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca for the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage scheduled for June 14-19). Since April 2024, 12 cases of meningococcal disease linked to travel to KSA for Umrah have been reported to national public health agencies in the United States (five cases), France (four cases), and the United Kingdom (three cases). Ten cases occurred in patients who traveled to KSA, and two were in patients who had close contact with travelers to KSA.