The measles outbreak in Limerick has continued to worsen with up to 20 cases being confirmed since the beginning of the year.
The HSE has revealed that out of the 20 diagnosed cases, nine of the patients were children.
“Nine cases have been children aged zero to five years, all unvaccinated, four of whom were admitted to the hospital,” they explained.
“Eleven cases have been aged between 15 and 34 years, all but two had no MMR vaccines, and four were admitted to hospital.”
THE HSE believe that the outbreak is due to the decrease in people vaccinating their kids. They revealed that the “MMR uptake at 24 months of age is 88 percent in Limerick and is 93 percent for the Mid-West.”
They added that parents must vaccinate their children in order to prevent them from catching the contagious disease.
The HSE stated, “An uptake rate of 95% is required for effective immunity within a population.”
The HSE warned that people who are a high risk of catching measles include:
- People who have not been infected in the past
- People who are not fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine ( babies under 12 months old- as they are too young to be vaccinated)
- People who have weakened immune systems
If you do have symptoms of measles, the HSE recommends avoiding hospital emergency departments.
They added, “If it is necessary to seek urgent care, it is important to inform the ambulance service or emergency department that you have symptoms consistent with measles beforehand so that the appropriate precautions can be taken.”
An MMR vaccination clinic will be held on Monday 5 March, 10 am – 1 pm, at Barrack View Primary Care Centre, Edward Street, Limerick.
