Wales measles outbreak at 1170 cases, vaccination urged for young people and children
With the measles outbreak in Mid and West Wales eclipsing 1,000 cases and Wales as a whole reporting 1,170 cases, health officials urge MMR vaccination for children and young people aged between 10 and 18.
Map of Wales
Public domain image/ Astrotrain at the English Wikipedia project
According to a Public Health Wales news release Thursday, although more than 33,000 non-routine vaccinations have been given across Wales during the outbreak, only just over 8,000 of those were in the 10 to 18 age group – the group hardest hit by the outbreak.
This still leaves almost 43,000 unvaccinated in that age group, and parents and young people are urged to act immediately.
Dr. Marion Lyons, Director of Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said: “The efforts to vaccinate susceptible young people children across Wales have been excellent, with non-routine vaccinations being given in their thousands by GPs, in schools and in emergency drop-in clinics.
“This undoubtedly will have reduced the length and severity of the outbreak, but the number of unvaccinated people in the hardest hit age group remains a cause for concern.
“Our message is clear – the MMR vaccine is safe and it works, and there is no reason why children not vaccinated in the late 1990s because of fears about the safety of the vaccine should not be immunised now.”
Lyon continues, “Vaccination sessions are continuing in schools throughout Wales and I urge pupils and their parents to take advantage of these.
“Those not vaccinated are highly likely to catch measles, which is highly contagious. It is just a matter of time before a child is left with serious and permanent complications such as eye disorders, deafness or brain damage, or dies.”
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For the entire period 1 January to March 31, 2013 there were just 26 laboratory confirmed cases out of 446 notifications: 10 in January, 8 in February.
And in March just eight cases out of 302 notifications. That is a percentage rate of over-diagnosis and over-notification of 3774 %. Or put it another way 0.027 of notified cases were actually measles
All Wales surveillance of laboratory confirmed infections – CDSC Wales monthly report – Report date: Tue 02 Apr 2013 – Data to end of week: 2013 Week 13 http://www2.nphs.wales.nhs.uk:8080/CommunitySurveillanceDocs.nsf/3dc04669c9e1eaa880257062003b246b/38c4ee86b5fd701e80257b41003cdc52/$FILE/monthly%20lab%20201303.pdf