This was reported to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday nationwide measles epidemicin the context of nearly 2,000 cases across the country in 29 counties. According to the ministry, the epidemic was declared for the purpose of vaccination of children aged 9 to 11 months, as well as for the recovery of unvaccinated or incomplete vaccination calendar.

Also, the Ministry of Health, together with family doctors, will conduct an information campaign for parents on better compliance with the vaccination program.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can be contracted at any age and spread widely. This is a serious disease that can lead to complications and even death, according to vaccination-info.europa.eu.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Symptoms of measles usually appear 10-12 days after infection:

• initial symptoms are similar to cold symptoms with runny nose, cough and low temperature;
• eyes become red and sensitive to light;
• between 3 and 7 days the temperature can reach 41 ⁰C;
• a red rash that lasts from 4 to 7 days, first appears on the face, and then spreads throughout the body;
• small white dots can also appear on the gums and inside the cheeks.

Measles is a disease that can cause serious, even fatal complications

Measles is a disease that has at least 30% complications of various nature, from respiratory, ear, eye, to severe complications, even encephalitis or bronchopneumonia, some of them can even be fatal for the child, or it can cause unnecessary suffering that the vaccine prevents with great success.

“Let’s not forget that those who get measles are exposed years later to a late complication called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which is a fatal disease. It appears around the age of 10-14 in children who have had measles, obviously not all, but we can’t know, and it has no therapeutic solution, it’s due to the persistence of the measles virus. in the brain, which is activated years later,” Dr. Simin Aisel Florescu, head of the Victor Babes Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Bucharest, told News.ro in the summer.

“All of these things are vaccine-preventable, so I think the balance in terms of these possible risks, so to speak, in quotes that are minor and without any impact, against the risk of complications from disease and distance, I think that it should be to determine the right choice in the parents’ option, namely vaccination,” the doctor explains.

What are the complications of measles?

Complications such as otitis and diarrhea may occur in 30% of children and adults with measles.

Pneumonia is a potentially serious complication that can lead to death in some measles patients. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death from measles.

The death rate from measles is 1-3 people per 1,000 cases, with children under five years of age and people with weakened immune systems most at risk.

About 1 in 1,000 measles patients develop inflammation of the brain tissue (encephalitis), a condition that leads to permanent neurological disability in about one in four cases.

Very rarely, persistent infection with the measles virus can cause subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SPS), a disease in which the nerves and brain tissue progressively degenerate, and which is more likely if the measles infection occurs at a younger age. PESS usually occurs several years after the patient contracted measles, on average 7 to 10 years after infection. Symptoms include personality changes, gradual deterioration of mental status, muscle spasms, and other neuromuscular symptoms. PESS is incurable and always leads to death.

How is measles transmitted?

The measles virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, which are formed when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Sprays containing the virus can remain in the air for several hours, and the virus remains contagious for up to 2 hours on contaminated surfaces. An infected person can transmit measles just before the rash appears (usually 4 days) and for about 4 days after the rash appears.

Measles spreads easily among unvaccinated people. It is believed that a measles patient can spread the infection to an average of 12-18 unprotected people.

Who is at risk of measles?

People who have not been vaccinated against measles or have never had measles are at risk of getting measles at any age.

How can measles be prevented?

Vaccination is the only way to protect against measles. The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMR vaccine is safe and effective and has very few side effects. Mild reactions such as fever, redness and swelling at the injection site have been reported.

Some vaccinated people usually develop a mild, non-infectious measles-like rash 7-14 days after vaccination, which disappears within 1-3 days.

Two doses of the vaccine are required for maximum protection. In European countries, the first dose is given to children aged 10 to 18 months. The second dose can be administered at least one month after the first dose according to the national vaccination schedule.

The MMR vaccine can also be given at a younger age if there are outbreaks. Infants six to nine months of age who live in an area at high risk of measles should receive an additional dose of the MMR vaccine.

The dose given before the age of nine months is an additional dose to the two doses included in the national vaccination schedule designed to provide full protection.

How is measles treated?

There is no specific treatment for measles. Most people recover with supportive care, which may include hydration and antipyretic medications.

To avoid the transmission of measles, you can take various measures, for example, placing in quarantine at school or at work both a sick person and close people whose vaccination status is not precisely known.

Antibiotics are not effective against measles because the disease is caused by a virus. However, antibiotics are often used to treat complications of bacterial infections that can result from measles, such as pneumonia and ear infections.