In the last week, more than 550 cases of measles were registered, and the total number of illnesses reached 5,238 at present, according to INSP. Since the beginning of the reporting period, six deaths have been recorded.
550 new measles cases – Photo Shutterstock
The data published on Tuesday by the National Center for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases within the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) show that the number of measles cases reached 5,238 illnesses, 559 more than a week ago.
Moreover, the measles epidemic is present in 40 counties and in the city of Bucharest. No deaths have been reported in the last week, but six people have died since the start of the epidemic, three of which were babies.
Brașov County holds the record for illnesses, almost 20% of the illnesses reported at the national level were registered here.
Measles disease map – 13.02. 2024 – Photo INSP
In the period 06.12.2023-11.02.2024, according to the data extracted from the RENV, a total of 67,151 children were vaccinated with ROR, of which 11,052 children aged between 9 and 11 months, according to the INSP.
Measles is a disease with “a contagiousness of 95%, infecting the receptive regardless of age“, warns doctor Emilian Popovici, vice-president of the Romanian Society of Epidemiology.
For his part, Dr. Gindrovel Dumitra, coordinator of the vaccinology group within the National Society of Family Medicine (SNMF), previously explained that “that's how it happens, that's the specifics of measles, that's the characteristic style of the measles epidemic. It is necessary to reach a 95% vaccination rate to limit the spread of a measles epidemic“.
The surest way to protect ourselves from measles is vaccination. The first dose of MMR vaccine, given at 12 months of age, provides 95% protection against measles, and the second dose, given between 5 and 7 years of age, provides 99.7% protection against measles.
