SASTM Newsflash
People travelling to their favourite destinations in the summer have been cautioned agains t measles. Around 10 000 people have been diagnosed with measles this year in 18 EU countries out of which, 4 have died. "All children and young people planning on travelling in Europe should ensure they have had 2 doses of MMR [vaccine] before they go away. France, Germany and Spain are all experiencing quite big outbreaks of measles and there are problems elsewhere in Europe," says Dr Brendan Mason, a consultant epidemiologist.
In the UK, 275 cases have been confirmed been January and April this year, a number much higher than that of last year [2010] which was 33, for the same time period.
France has declared measles epidemic officially as 5000 people have contracted the disease in France in the 3 months from January to March alone, which is almost equal to the total cases reported in the country last year.
Turkey and Bulgaria have faced major outbreaks. Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Romania, the Russian Federation, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland have also reported more cases than they usually do.
Children between one and 4 have the highest probability of getting measles. Vaccination is the only way it can be prevented. In every 1000 people who are affected by measles, one dies.
Communicated by: ProMED-mail
South African Society of Travel Medicine (SASTM)
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