Why is the virus soaring?

Measles has a new victim. This Friday the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of New Aquitaine announces having "been informed by the Bordeaux University Hospital of the death of a 17-year-old girl following neurological complications caused by measles." If the region is no longer in an epidemic phase, however, the ARS calls for vigilance. The cause ? " The
vaccination coverage against measles remains insufficient in New Aquitaine and new outbreaks may therefore appear.

What is the progress of measles today in France and more specifically in New Aquitaine?

Since November 6, 2017, 2,567 cases of measles have been confirmed in France, including 1,096 in New Aquitaine. One in four cases required hospitalization, twelve patients were transferred to intensive care and two died, three in total in France. In addition to the teenager, the other two cases concerned a 26-year-old man who lost his life on June 27 and a 32-year-old woman who died at Poitiers University Hospital on February 13. "Nearly 90% of these cases were not or insufficiently vaccinated," insists the ARS of New Aquitaine, for whom "the fight for the
continued vaccination. "

In the region," the epidemic has been declining since late March and today, with less than 10 confirmed cases per month, it is considered complete, "says the health agency. 19659009] Measles causes a second death in New Aquitaine https://t.co/ybpAYJN8va pic.twitter.com/LzfisUteb9

– ARS Nouvelle-Aquitaine (@ARS_NAquit) July 6, 2018

What are the symptoms and complications of measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus. "The transmission is mainly by air and the virus is transmitted either directly to a patient or sometimes indirectly because of the persistence of the virus in the air or on a surface contaminated by nasopharyngeal secretions", explains the l Institute of Public Health Surveillance (InVS). In most cases, "there is a high fever, which appears ten days after exposure to the virus, explained a few months ago at 20 minutes Professor Daniel Floret, professor of pediatrics and former director of
Technical Committee on Immunizations, attached to the
High Authority of Health (HAS). Runny nose, cough and red eyes are the most common symptoms. The rash appears first on the face and upper neck before spreading to the rest of the body. These are small red patches that disappear after a few days. "

Measles is frequently badociated with mild, usually respiratory complications, but in the most severe cases, complications badociated with measles can cause "severe diarrhea, pneumonia, blindness, even encephalitis", supplemented Daniel Floret.

The Regional Health Agency of New Aquitaine announced this morning a third death due to measles in France in 2018 https://t.co/aGft3RJPPb #AFP via @AFPgraphics pic.twitter.com/yb4zquaOKF

– Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) July 6 , 2018

How to guard against the disease?

To date, there is no treatment for measles. "The only way to protect oneself, to protect oneself and to protect others, is to be vaccinated, "recalled the Pr Floret: Not yet immunized because they are not old enough to receive the two shots of the measles vaccine, babies under one year of age are particularly vulnerable to the virus. As well as adolescents and young adults who are not vaccinated or not up to date with their
vaccine. Among these, those who have escaped measles have a very high risk of contracting the disease if they come in contact with the virus.

Because the resurgence of the disease in France is a direct consequence of insufficient vaccination coverage in the country. However, to eradicate the disease, the vaccination coverage should reach the threshold of "95% of the population," said Professor Floret. A goal that is dangerous not to achieve because "in the absence of vaccination, says the ARS of New Aquitaine, a person with measles
can contaminate up to twenty others. "