HEALTH BRIEFING:THE MAJORITY of measles cases reported so far this year have occurred in the eastern region, new figures show. Data from the national Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) indicate 76 cases were reported since January, a significant decrease from last year, but that to date 80 per cent of cases occurred in the east.
Nearly 25 per cent of cases in the east were in infants too young to have been vaccinated. Children can be protected from measles by getting the MMR vaccine, typically given at 12 months and administered again at four to five years. While children not yet able to be vaccinated depend mainly on the MMR coverage of people around them, they may be vaccinated at as young as six months if they are at a high risk of being infected.
Measles is a virus, spread by coming into contact with an infected person or their coughs and sneezes. There are two stages: symptoms begin with a fever, cough, irritability and conjunctivitis, while the second stage is a red or brown rash which spreads down the body from the forehead. This rash can last from four to seven days.
Parents are being advised by the HSPC to vaccinate their children against measles before holidaying in Europe this summer. There have been outbreaks in many European countries, including Germany, France and Spain. Due to the increased travel during the summer months, more cases may occur.
Since the start of 2011 more than 21,000 cases were reported in European countries. This is due to individuals not being sufficiently immunised.