LOS ANGELES, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate General here on Monday notified that the Los Angeles region had been affected by a nationwide measles outbreaks and reminded Chinese citizens to take necessary measures.

In an official notice on its website marked "urgent," the consulate reminded Chinese citizens and students living in the Southern California where is now experiencing a fast-growing measles outbreak to take vaccine, follow the situation and go to hospital immediately in case of being infected.

The document quoted latest data of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying that over 700 measles cases have been confirmed in 22 states of the country since the beginning of this year, including six confirmed case by the California Department of Public Health in Los Angeles recently.

"The latest cases have been confirmed at the Los Angeles' LAX International Airport and on campus of University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)," the notice said, adding that some university students who are thought to have been exposed and cannot prove that they had their vaccine shots were asked to quarantine themselves at home last week.

"Considering the highly contagious and serious virus, the number of measles confirmed case in Los Angeles is predicted to grow continuously," the consulate said.

CDC reported Monday that 704 measles cases had been confirmed so far and 66 people had been hospitalized. This is the greatest number of cases reported in the United States since measles was eliminated from the country in 2000.

The CDC also warned that the longer these outbreaks continue, the greater the chance measles will again gain a sustained foothold in the country.