Measles may be spread in public bath – visitors are warned

Photo: Claes Nyberg

A person who was in public baths on Saturday 13 and Monday 15 October caught measles. Now, fearing that visitors who were there at the same time may have been infected.

A person who visited the Trelleborg baths during the simulations of Saturday 13 and Monday 15 October fell ill in mässling.

Since the measles virus is an airborne infection, it is feared that visitors in the public baths would have been affected by the current situation.

Through Trelleborg Sim, the Skanie Region Infection Unit has sent a newsletter to those who think they have been in the swimming pool at the present time. For Saturdays, it is approximately 11:30 to 14:00 and Monday between 17:30 to 20:30.

"He who has been in the same room may have been exposed to the measles mite but he is far from safe." But as measles is so contagious, it is important to observe all the symptoms. That's why we published this newsletter, "says Per Hagstam, infection surgeon at Smitskydd Skåne.

According to Per Hagstam, one person sought care and concluded that she was infected with measles.

– The person then received a brief report of the contact areas of the previous week. Then the public baths appeared and we were able to send this newsletter because it was a limited space. But this person has probably had contact with many other people, but it is impossible to trace and inform everyone.

Smittskydd Skåne has not yet reported any additional cases of measles in Trelleborg.

Per Hagstam finds that there is a risk of illness from now on and in the next two weeks. In measles, the symptoms are fever, sore throat, eye irritation and dry cough. After a few days, irregular rashes begin to appear on the face and then spread.

It is advisable for the person suspected of having been infected to report the disease as early as the first symptoms and to avoid contact with other people. If you need care, do not put yourself in a waiting room with other patients, but rather contact the health care advisor.

Those who have had measles earlier are immune and can neither infect nor spread the infection. Those who have been fully vaccinated are considered to have a good level of protection. The measles vaccine was introduced in the 1970s and has been part of the child immunization program in Sweden since 1982.

Tissue Protection Skåne points out that people born between 1970 and 1982 and who have only received one dose of vaccine may have lower protection and therefore need to pay close attention to the symptoms. People born in the 1960s and before have, in most cases, contracted measles.