Measles: death of a teenager in Bordeaux



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 Measles
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Observed in the Aquitaine region for several months, the resurgence of measles is unfortunately still on the agenda. She has just had a second death in New Aquitaine and the third in France since 2017. She is a 17-year-old girl who died of neurological complications caused by measles.

press release the Regional Health Agency of New Aquitaine specifies that the region is no longer in phase of epidemic but the fight for vaccination continues.

Since November 6, 2017 in New-Aquitaine, 1,096 cases measles were confirmed (2,567 in France), 1 out of 4 cases required hospitalization, 12 patients were transferred to intensive care and 2 died (3 in France). Nearly 90% of these cases were not or insufficiently vaccinated (2 doses required).

Since the end of March, the epidemic has been declining in the region and today, with less than 10 confirmed cases per month, it is considered finished. However, we must remain very vigilant because vaccination coverage against measles remains insufficient in New Aquitaine and new outbreaks may appear.

This is why the agency again asks the population to check his vaccination and, if in doubt, to be vaccinated

Measles: think about the vaccine

The aim of the generalization of measles vaccination is to eliminate the disease. This is possible if 95% of children are vaccinated with 2 doses. All children and young adults should be vaccinated against measles. It is a highly effective vaccination that protects against the disease in almost 100% of cases after 2 doses of vaccine.

However, currently, vaccination coverage remains insufficient in France in 15-35 years and in infants, which explains why the virus continues to circulate in the country.

 measles
Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain /

Some figures …

In 1980, before vaccination became widespread, there were 600 000 measles cases in France
Measles is found in about 2 500 people every year

From 2008 to 2016, in 9 years, more than 24 000 cases of measles were reported in France (of which nearly 15,000 cases in 2011 alone). Nearly 1,500 cases had severe pneumonia, 34 had a neurological complication and 10 died. Measles is a disease that can be expected to disappear completely through vaccination.

Since 1 and January 2018 vaccination against measles is mandatory in infants, who are to receive one dose of combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) at 12 months of age and a second dose between 16 and 18 months of age

Measles: an illness to take Seriously, especially in adults

Measles is not a mild disease and can lead to respiratory (pneumopathies) and neurological (meningoencephalitis) complications that can have very serious consequences.

This disease is highly contagious : In the absence of vaccination, 1 person can infect up to 20 people.

Only drugs to relieve the symptoms of measles can be administered, because there is unfortunately no to treat this disease. On the other hand, there is a vaccine that has proved effective in limiting its spread and avoiding serious consequences.

It is therefore important to check your vaccination status because only vaccination can protect you, but also protect others, especially the most fragile people, such as children under 1 year old and immunocompromised people who can not benefit from vaccination

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