Forty-seven confirmed measles cases in State, latest figures find

Data released amid rising cases of the infectious disease across Europe and elsewhere

Measles
There have been seven outbreaks of measles in the State since the start of the year. Illustration: Paul Scott

There are now more than 40 confirmed cases of measles in the State, according to the latest official figures.

The data, from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, comes amid rising cases of the infectious disease across Europe and elsewhere.

It can cause serious complications, especially in children under the age of one, pregnant people and immunosuppressed people, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE).

According to the latest figures there have been a total of 47 cases of measles in the State up to 7am on June 5th. In addition to the confirmed cases, there are also 18 cases currently under investigation.

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Since the start of the year, there have been seven outbreaks of the disease, all of which have been in private houses or between extended family with between two and five confirmed cases in each outbreak.

A total of 21 of the confirmed cases have been in males, 24 have been in females, and gender is not recorded for two cases.

People aged 25 to 34 make up the highest proportion of cases at 10, followed by those aged 15 to 19-years-old and those aged 10 to 14 years.

The latest figures come following a public health alert issued by officials in recent weeks that passengers on board a London-Dublin flight may have been exposed to measles.

The HSE advised passengers and crew on board Ryanair flight FR123 between Gatwick and Dublin at 8.10pm on Thursday, May 6th, they may have been exposed to the contagious disease.

In a public-health statement, the HSE said: “We ask you to be particularly vigilant for symptoms of measles for 21 days from exposure – until June 7th.”

Earlier this year, the HSE started the roll-out of a catch-up programme for the measles MMR vaccine across the country, in a bid to stem the increasing number of cases.

The programme seeks to deliver the MMR vaccine to those who may have missed it in the past and will include children, young adults and healthcare workers.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said the increase in cases is a result of low levels of the disease during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as “suboptimal” vaccine uptake.

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers is Health Correspondent of The Irish Times