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Published Date: 2012-05-06 22:19:44
Subject: PRO/EDR> Measles update 2012 (19)
Archive Number: 20120506.1124592

MEASLES UPDATE 2012 (19)
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In this update

Europe
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[1] UK (Merseyside)
[2] UK (Wales)

Africa
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[3] Sudan (Darfur)

The Americas
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[4] & [5] Venezuela (ex Lebaon)

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Europe
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[1] UK (Merseyside)
Date: Wed 2 May 2012
Source: BBC Nes Liverpool [edited]
http://www.bwbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-17912457

Measles on Merseyside: Outbreak reaches more than 200 cases
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More than 200 cases of measles are confirmed on Merseyside in the largest outbreak in the area since 1988, the Health Protection Agency has said. There are 210 confirmed cases, 39 of which needed hospital treatment. Ninety-two cases are under investigation. About 50% of the cases are in children under five years old. The outbreak, which is concentrated on Liverpool where there are 125 confirmed cases, is the largest since the MMR vaccine was introduced.

There are 29 confirmed cases in Knowsley, 22 in Sefton and seven in Wirral. Further cases have been confirmed in Cheshire, Halton and St Helens. More than 30% of cases have been in people aged 15 years or over. Dr Roberto Vivancos, a Health Protection Agency consultant, said: "It's obvious from these statistics that people who are not fully vaccinated are not just at risk themselves, but they pose an infection risk to others, such as defenseless babies and toddlers who are too young to be vaccinated. "Measles is a very infectious illness that spreads rapidly amongst children and adults who are not protected by MMR vaccine. "It is also a serious illness that can lead to serious complications. On rare occasions, people die from measles. "It should not be treated lightly, but it is an avoidable illness and we strongly advise parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated."

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[2] UK (Wales)
Date: Thu 3 May 22012
Source: Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald [edited]
http://www.caernarfonherald.co.uk/caernarfon-county-news/local-caernarfon-news/2012/05/03/measles-cases-up-to-53-across-north-wales-88817-30888651/

Measles cases up to 53 across North Wales
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Parents across North Wales are being urged to ensure their children are up to date with both doses of their MMR vaccination after an increase in measles cases in Gwynedd. The latest figures show 37 laboratory confirmed cases with a further 16 under investigation -- bringing the total associated with the outbreak in the Porthmadog area to 53. This compares to 19 confirmed measles cases in all of Wales for the whole of 2011. The majority of cases are older primary or young secondary school children who have either had no MMR vaccination or only one dose.

Dr Chris Whiteside, consultant in communicable disease control for Public Health Wales, said: “Measles is highly infectious and spreads very easily. “Complications are quite common even in healthy people and can be very serious.The measles virus is now circulating in the community. Therefore, all those not protected by two doses of MMR vaccine are at risk of catching the disease. Most of the cases under investigation could have been prevented by MMR vaccination. MMR is a safe and effective vaccine that protects children from the most severe and unpleasant viral-rash illness of childhood. Measles can be fatal in rare cases."

(By Hywel Trewyn)

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Africa
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[3] Sudan (South Darfur)
Date: Fri 4 may 2012
Source: Radio badango [edited]
http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/29939

Measles outbreak kills 25 children in Gereida camp
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At least 25 children have died from measles during a recent outbreak in the Gereida camp in South Darfur. A camp official said there is a high rate of infection spreading amongst children. She appealed to humanitarian organisations, health officials and the World Health Organisation to immediately act to intervene and stop the disease from spreading and risking more lives.

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[Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into five federal states: Central Darfur, East Darfur, North Darfur, South Darfur and West Darfur. Because of the war in Darfur between Sudanese government forces and the non-Arab indigenous population, the region has been in a state of humanitarian emergency between 2003 and 2011.

A map of Darur can be accessed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Darfur_2011.png. - Mod.CP]

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The Americas
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[4] Venezuela (ex Lebanon)
Date: Fri 4 May 2012
Source: El Universal [In Spanish, trans. & edited by Mod. JT]
http://www.eluniversal.com/vida/120504/detectan-caso-sospechoso-de-sarampion-en-valencia

The Network of Scientific Medical Societies in Venezuela warns of a probable case of imported measles in Valencia, Carabobo State. This is a woman from Lebanon. Although no official confirmation, the directors of the Scientific Network talk about a "strong suspicion" that, indeed, it is measles.

Risquez Alejandro, Jose Felix Oletta, Ana Carvajal and Saul Pena, directors of the Scientific Network, highlight the need to strengthen surveillance, actively seeking potential cases and to increase vaccination rates, which are the lowest in the continent. Although at the eleventh week of 2012, corresponding to the end of March, there had been 60 suspected cases in the country and 72 cases confirmed in Ecuador, United States, Canada and Brazil, most of them were imported.

"It is painful to see how low Venezuela is with measles vaccination coverage is," say the doctors in the Epidemiological Alert Unit. According to reports from the Ministry of Health, in 2010 a national coverage rate of 78% was achieved and measles vaccination in 2011 was no more than 78.5%. The only American countries that have achieved less than 79% coverage include Haiti, Dominican Republic and Bolivia, according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization in July 2011. This 78.5% rate , moreover, is not universal. Some states have much lower coverage. This is the case in some municipalities of Barinas, Monagas, Delta Amacuro, Guarico, Tachira, Amazon and Portuguese.

Most imported suspected cases of measles reported in epidemiological bulletin of 2011 were limited to the states of Zulia, Aragua, followed by Monagas, Merida, Sucre and Carabobo. What causes concern among epidemiologists is that [surveillance] did include any Capital District.

Network Physicians urge health professionals to strengthen surveillance of possible cases of measles imported from other countries to stop the progression of the disease and minimize the risk of contagion.

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[The interactive HealthMap of Venezuela can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/2jEg. - Mod.CP]

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[5] Venezuela (ex Lebanon)
Date: Sun 6 May 2012
Source: 2001 Online [In Spanish, machine translation, edited]
http://www.2001.com.ve/lanacion/noticia.asp?registro=195333&titulo=Intensifican-vigilancia-epidemiológica-en-Aeropuerto-de-Maiquet%C3%ADa-por-brote-de-sarampión

Intensified surveillance at Maiquetía Airport because of measles outbreak
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Argas state epidemiological authorities intensified their surveillance and control at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, after detecting a suspected case of measles, a person from Lebanon.

The regional epidemiological service announced that the patient was a 37-year-old resident in the state of Carabobo, who traveled to Lebanon where he apparently had contact with an infected person and was feverish upon arrival on 20 Apr 2012, on a flight of 160 passengers and 13 crew flying the Caracas-Lima-Rome-Lebanon route.

Vargas state epidemiological authorities intensified their surveillance and control at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, after detecting a suspected case of measles, a person from Lebanon, according to http://2001.com.ve

The State Epidemiology Coordinator, Victor Arroyo, said this case is being treated by the health authorities in Carabobo and that of the 160 passengers, 18 remain in Vargas, 13 of whom are tourists who are travelled on to Los Roques, 2 are residents of The Hills Catia La Mar and 3 from Macuto Bergantil Residences. He noted that the locations of the asymptomatic passengers were quickly established and they will remain under surveillance for a period of 21 days, the duration of the incubation process of the disease. Arroyo emphasized that the surveillance of these people did not imply that they are positive cases. It is normal to quarantine such people to avoid possible spread of infection. However, the epidemiologist recommended both airport staff and the population at large to should be vaccinated with the triple MMR (measles mumps and rubella) vaccine.

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[The interactive HealthMap of Venezuela can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/2jEg. - Mod.CP]

See Also