There are currently 18 confirmed measles infections in Austria, four of which are in Styria. More cases can be expected here in the coming days as sick people took part in a larger religious celebration. Experts recommend checking your own vaccination status and that of your children.
On New Year’s Eve, a person suffering from measles spent about three hours in the outpatient clinic of the LKH Bruck and had contact with some other visitors. This is not the only reason why people fear that more infections will occur: “So far, as a co-distributor, we have proven that we have two sick children and one sick adult at home,” says Reinhold Kerbl, head of the pediatric clinic department at LKH Leoben, who forms the network with Bruck and Mürzzuschlag Hochsteiermark shapes.
Since those affected have so far taken part in a larger religious ceremony in the Mürztal, it can be assumed that further transmissions took place here too. “The problem is the low vaccination rate. For community protection we would need 95 percent, in some age groups we are sometimes much lower,” the expert reports.
Declining vaccination morale
His appeal: Be sure to check your own vaccination status and that of your children. “There are quite a few boys and girls who have only had one vaccination.” But you would only have reliable protection after the second vaccination.
Measles is highly contagious and the incubation period is seven to 21 days. Even short and fleeting contact with infected people is enough to transmit the virus. Since the highest risk of infection exists three to five days before the appearance of the first symptoms, the Medical Directorate of the State of Styria also urges greater caution due to current events: “Due to the current increase in measles diseases, we remind you that fever , runny nose, cough and conjunctivitis occur as early as possible. Places with many people should be avoided.” If there are any suspected cases, the general practitioner or the hospital outpatient clinic must be informed in advance.
Kerbl emphasizes that the disease should not be underestimated: “The infection can lead to complications such as lung or ear infections. The immune system is often weakened for months; I recently saw a child who had tuberculosis after measles.” According to statistics, one in a thousand sick people dies and one in ten thousand develops encephalitis five to ten years later. “I’ve seen some of these patients. There is no help for them, unfortunately all you can do is watch them die.”
Source: Krone
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