According to recent statistics from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, there has been a surge in the reported measles cases, which have increased from nine to eleven. Alongside these, fourteen other cases are currently undergoing investigation which include both potential and probable measles cases yet to be certified through laboratory tests.
Sadly, since the beginning of the year, the toll has risen with one death which took place last month; the unfortunate victim was a man from Mullingar, Co Westmeath who contracted measles in Birmingham, England.
There’s an ongoing measles crisis not just in the UK, but across mainland Europe as well, which has heightened the concern amongst Irish medical practitioners.
As a response to the escalating situation, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has initiated an MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine catch-up scheme. Nevertheless, the vaccination rates remain under the requisite 95 per cent, which is a critical threshold to establish herd immunity against the disease.
This initiative is primarily aimed at administering the MMR shot to around 300,000 individuals who are at a high risk. These individuals are predominantly children, young adults, and healthcare professionals who might have missed their vaccinations previously.
People infected with measles usually exhibit symptoms which include a cough, running nose, sneezing as well as symptoms such as sore red eyes, high temperature over 38 degrees and an initial rash in the head and neck area.
The usual protocol for the two-dose measles vaccine administration is at the age of 12 months and between the ages of four and five. However, the HSE has stated that in areas witnessing outbreaks, even infants as young as six months can receive vaccination, with the caveat that they will need to be administered another dose after they turn one for continuous protection.