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Costa Rica has been stricken with a measles case for the first time in more than five years after an unvaccinated French boy became ill with the disease while traveling on vacation. vacation in the country, according to his Ministry of Health.
The 5-year-old boy arrived in the country on 18 February with his parents. He was taken to the hospital after presenting measles-like symptoms and is currently being held under "strict confinement measures" at Monseñor Sanabria Hospital in Puntarenas. The child has since been tested positive for measles and the local health authorities are working hard to find all the people who could have been in contact with the family, including people having taken the same flight with France Air, reports the newspaper. The star of Costa Rica.
The last case of measles reported in Costa Rica dates back to 2014 and has also been introduced in the country. The last case to take place in the country dates back to 2006.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can be transmitted by coughing and sneezing. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, red eyes, and a distinct rash. However, this potentially life-threatening disease can be prevented by receiving two doses of a measles-containing vaccine.
Fortunately, Costa Rica has a good public health system and a strong immunization program that delivers the two recommended doses of the vaccine. In 2017, at least 96% of the population had received the first dose of measles vaccine and 93%, the second dose, according to Statistics of the World Health Organization.
"Our country enjoys very good immunization coverage in general, but it is still important, to avoid particular cases and their possible complications, that the miners' leaders ensure that children benefit from the vaccination program. complete ", said the Costa Rican Ministry of Health. says in an ad.
The reason the boy was not vaccinated is unclear, but it should be remembered that some people can not be vaccinated for valid medical reasons, such as a compromised immune system.
That said, Europe has recently experienced an increase in the number of measles cases reported due to under-vaccination. The reason for this under-vaccination is not clear, however, it is regularly associated with a resurgence of skepticism about vaccinations.
This skepticism is mainly based on the mistaken belief that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is linked to autism. While science has totally refuted and discredited on many occasions, the anti-vaxxer movement has gained a foothold in the era of social media. Friendly politicians have also strengthened the cause, such as The current Italian government which aimed to remove mandatory vaccination for schoolchildren claiming that they were "useless and, in many cases, dangerous".
The results of the sub-vaccination are all too clear: Europe has seen 82,596 new cases of measles in 2018, three times more than in 2017. Outside of Europe, the situation is hardly better, with cases of measles to double globally last year.
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