The Czech Television has reported that there has been a rapid increase in Measles in Prague in January 2019. There have been at least 40 cases of measles reported.
Experts are working towards preventing the further spread of this highly contagious disease. Deputy Governor Martin Gebauer (ANO) said the institutions agreed, that they will check with healthcare workers and hospitals whether they have antibodies against the measles virus. During the measles epidemic, the region faced two years ago, and the health care professionals had problems. People are also encouraged to stay away from infected patients. “One patient can infect up to 18 other people around him, while the flu can infect a maximum of four people,” said Gebauer.
According to Gebauer, medical information leaflets are already in the medical institutions, including information on measles. People with measles symptoms should stay away from other people.
Several people are admitted to the infected department of the University Hospital in Ostrava in the past few days. Children up to two years of age are the most vulnerable group in terms of disease and its consequences. There is also a child who is not yet a year old.
“They remain at high risk of developing measles’ brain inflammation, which develops for up to 15 years after the illness,” explains Lenka Petroušová, Deputy Head of the Clinic of Infectious Medicine at the University Hospital in Ostrava.
Epidemiologists believe that this increase is primarily happening because of the increase in the number of parents choosing not to vaccinate the child. The Health Ministry has also confirmed that the percentage of people vaccinating their children has fallen below 90 per cent, thus implying that the health of the entire nation is at stake.