Doctors across Malta have been alerted to an outbreak of measles, as the island faces a "serious risk of importation" through those visiting the country, Times of Malta reports.
The newspaper said a letter sent to all doctors by the Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci read that there were five imported cases of measles thus far this year, and that one of these had resulted in the disease being locally transmitting through contact.
"Despite measles and rubella elimination being sustained, Malta is facing the serious risk of importation through travellers, international students and workers," Gauci wrote.
Measles is a highly infectious and contagious disease, and the news of imported cases is in line with marked increases in measles transmission, with outbreaks of the disease occurring in countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic. In fact, 31 deaths have been reported across Europe in 2018 so far.
The outbreaks are the direct result of falling vaccination levels in these countries. To stop measles transmission and protect those most vulnerable, especially infants, at least 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated with two doses of measles-containing vaccine.
Currently, children are given two doses of the MMR vaccine when they are still young, with the first being administered at 13 months, and the second being at 3 to 4 years of age.
Doctors have been advised to make sure that they have taken two doses of measles vaccine in the past, and that till they have confirmation of this they must wear personal protective equipment if attending to a suspected case of measles.
Furthermore they were advised to keep patients with fever and an erythematous rash as far away as possible from other patients in their clinic. It is essential that in the case that the patient needs to be transferred arrangements should be made for immediate isolation.
Mater Dei CEO Ivan Falzon told TOM that he is "convinced" that the hospital is prepared to handle a measles outbreak before saying that the hospital always takes such precautions, but that it is simply more on the alert now.
Minister for Health Chris Fearne added that the claims of a measles outbreak were "not precise", whilst acknowledging that there was a risk that the disease could spread. Fearne said the letter, in mentioning an outbreak, was making reference to the situation in other countries. However, he encouraged parents to vaccinate their children and to ignore what he described as fake medical news.
from The Malta Independent https://ift.tt/2Md1Ydi
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