Measles cases are continually increasing in Europe. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimates that this trend will continue in the coming months due to a series of factors including suboptimal vaccination coverage, the high probability of importation from areas where the infection circulates consistently and the fact that February-April represents the seasonal peak for this type of disease.
INSIGHTS
The numbers
In 2023, 2,361 cases were reported to ECDC, more than 74% of them in Romania. Between January and early February 2024, the number of countries reporting measles cases increased and seven deaths were reported in two of these: Romania (6) and Ireland (1).
The illness
Measles is an extremely contagious and risky infectious disease for children and fragile people, in whom it can cause serious complications. In most cases the outcome is uneventful, but the effects it can cause should not be underestimated. «Since it is a disease that in theory should no longer be registered, being in fact rare, the problem is the diagnosis: if spots appear on the body the pediatrician must be contacted», explains Alberto Villani, head of general pediatrics at Bambin Gesù in Rome.
Prevention
Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, comments on the increase in cases in the EU: «The good news is that it is a disease that can be prevented with vaccination and that in the EU there are numerous safe and effective vaccines. When we see measles outbreaks, we know there is a gap in vaccinations. I urge everyone to check their vaccination status and parents to make sure their children’s vaccines are up to date. Vaccination protects and saves human lives: it is one of the most powerful tools we have available against measles and many other infectious diseases”
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED