New confirmed case of measles in Gothenburg

A measles infected person went to the Bergsjön Health Center and the BVC on Tuesday.

Thomas Wahlberg, infectious disease specialist in the Västra Götaland region, said:

– We confirmed that we have a person with measles. Everything speaks for the infected person abroad, he says.

Where was the person infected?

– Somewhere in Europe, says Thomas Wahlberg.

"May have been exposed to an infection"

Due to the confirmed illness, the health center is now reporting that those who visited the health center the same afternoon may have been infected.

"A person with measles has been to the Bergsjön health center. Those who went to the health center on the afternoon of April 16 may have been exposed to an infection. ", the health center writes among others in a post on Facebook.

"It takes a few days to get infected before getting sick. This means that the person who has been exposed to an infection at the health center can get sick from April 23 to May 4. "

At the same time, an investigation is being conducted on the persons with whom the infected person may have been in contact.

– As always, you start by tracking infections around the case and look what other person might have met, if she is vaccinated, etc. According to Thomas Wahlberg, there is a lot of measles in Europe.

Brass is spreading in the air and is a very contagious disease.

It causes high fever, dry cough, irritating and photosensitive eyes. After a few days, you get a rash.

The disease is rare in Sweden because most people are vaccinated at the age of 18 months.

Whoever has already had measles is immune and can not get sick a second time.

"Hard to put all the guarantees"

In December 2017, a major measles outbreak was declared in Västra Götaland, following the arrival of a seriously ill man in the same health center, also up to date.

Even in this case, the person has been infected abroad.

In total, 27 people became ill, but the current disease case should have no connection with the major epidemic a year and a half ago.

Should we be worried about a new measles epidemic?

– What you can say is that measles is a very contagious disease. But what is good is that most people are vaccinated. It is difficult to make guarantees, it is too early to say. It will probably be necessary to wait and see, says Thomas Wahlberg.