Sespa alerts Palestinian Authority municipalities on measles prevention actions

The Secretary of State for Public Health (Sespa) reported to the 13 regional health centers to alert the 144 municipal health secretariats on strengthening measles prevention and control actions. The measure has already been taken by other states. The warning is due to recent outbreaks of the disease in Venezuela and the states of Amazonas, Roraima and Rio Grande do Sul, including people who have traveled to Europe. In Pará, the last three cases of measles were recorded in 2010.

Measles vaccine is currently available free of charge in basic health services according to the following schedule: a dose of triple-viral vaccine at the age of 12 months and the second dose (with the tetraviral vaccine, which also protects against chickenpox) at 15 months. Adults under 49 years old with no history of illness and / or immunization should also be vaccinated.

Only immunocompromised individuals – such as those with chronic diseases – and pregnant women should not receive the vaccine. In the case of pregnant women, they must wait until the delivery is vaccinated. If the woman plans to become pregnant, a blood test can make sure that she is already immune to the disease. If this is not the case, it must be vaccinated before pregnancy and wait at least four weeks before getting pregnant. Immunization coverage – The alert is important because vaccination against measles in the United States and the United States of America. Brazil is below the ideal, 90%. In the territory of Pará, the measles average immunized in 2017 is established as follows, according to the website of the National Immunization Program (NIP) of the Ministry of Health: 69% with the first dose of Triple Viral and 55% with tetraviral

According to the report published by Sespa's Epidemiological and Health Surveillance Departments, measles is an acute, viral, transmissible and highly contagious infectious disease, very common in childhood, and which can also affect the adults. The initial symptoms are high fever, greater than 38.5 ° C, accompanied by a persistent cough, irritation of the eyes and a coryza.

After these symptoms, there are usually red spots on the face, which progress to the feet, with a minimum duration of three days. In addition, it can cause ear infections, pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and death, as well as diarrhea and even brain infections. Contagion – Transmission of the disease occurs from one person to another, through secretion expelled by coughing, sneezing or speaking. The virus can be transmitted from the fourth to the sixth day before the appearance of red spots and until the fourth day after. In case of suspicion of illness, the person should seek the nearest health unit and avoid traffic in public places.

The orientation of Sespa with the professionals of the municipal health secretariats, especially those who work in the vaccination rooms, is to report any suspect case of measles, by taking a serological sample on each patient who, independently of age and immunization status, has disease-related symptoms badociated with foreign travel and confirmed cases in the last 30 days, or with local populations, during the same period

For the community , Sespa recommends the following measures: look for a health service if you have signs and symptoms of measles; update the vaccination and / or vaccination schedule for measles, as well as, in the case of travel to municipalities, states or countries where measles cases occur, regularize the immunization situation before traveling.

] – Municipal health secretariats should disclose to the public the preventive measures against measles transmission and information about the disease, in order to seek medical attention in case of signs and symptoms