Keywords
Citation
(2013), "Wales - Measles epidemic "spreading at alarming rate", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 26 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2013.06226faa.010
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Wales - Measles epidemic "spreading at alarming rate"
Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 26, Issue 6
Keywords: Measles Epidemic in Wales, Health Protection and Immunisation Programmes, Public Health Strategies for Children
Public Health Wales has warned that measles cases in south west Wales are “spreading at an alarming rate” across the area.
Officials said that there were 432 total cases and 51 people had been admitted to hospital because of the effects of the disease. They said 116 cases had been reported in one week alone.
Most cases have been reported in the Powys, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Hywel Dda health board areas. Data showed cases in Swansea had more than doubled over in three weeks.
Dr Marion Lyons, director of health protection for PHW, said: “Measles is now spreading at an alarming rate across areas of Wales. Worryingly there are still tens of thousands of susceptible children across Wales, yet our weekly monitoring of vaccination rates shows only a slight increase in numbers receiving MMR jabs.”
She said children who have not been fully immunised face a life-long risk of catching measles.
“If the numbers of parents bringing their children for MMR jabs does not dramatically increase, measles will continue to spread and quickly reach levels last seen in the outbreak in Dublin in 1999/2000. In that outbreak over 1,200 children were infected and three died.”
Public Health Wales is also concerned that the outbreak will continue into the summer and impact on pupils sitting GCSE and A-level exams.
For more information: www.healthcare-today.co.uk