Measles case confirmed in Mayo
Public Health was notified of the measles case in late April, and it concerns a child in county Mayo
The Department of Public Health, HSE West and North West, is investigating a single case of confirmed measles disease in county Mayo.
Public Health was notified of the case in late April, and concerns a child.
Close contacts are being identified and advised by the Public Health team.
The department has appealed to parents that if you or your child develop symptoms of measles please stay at home and phone your General Practitioner for advice.
Measles symptoms include a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above, cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and a cough and sore red eyes.
Other symptoms are a rash, which usually appears on head and neck first and spreads to rest of body, vomiting, diarrhoea and tummy pain may also happen Dr Emer O’Connell, Consultant in Public Health Medicine said: “Measles can be a serious illness and is highly infectious. One person with the disease can infect 90 per cent of the people around them who have not been immunised. The best protection is to be fully vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine.” The department has sad the best way for people to protect themselves and those around them against measles is by MMR vaccination.
They have advised members of the public and their family that there are up to date with MMR vaccines, which can be arranged with a GP.
A highly effective vaccine, MMR, can prevent measles in over 90% of immunised children, following a single dose of the vaccine.
With the second dose of MMR vaccine, over 99% of immunised children are protected from measles infection.
If you were born in Ireland before 1978 or had measles illness, you are unlikely to require vaccination, as you are probably immune.
Children should receive their first dose of MMR vaccine at one year of age and a second dose in junior infants at 4-5 years of age.
There is also a free catch-up MMR option via participating GPs for those who may have missed their vaccination when younger.
If you think you have measles do not go to work, school or crèche, stay at home and phone your GP and tell the doctor or nurse that you think you might have measles.
Other advice includes stop visitors coming to the house to prevent the spread of measles and pregnant women, infants and those with a weakened immune system who have been exposed to measles should seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Further information about measles is available at: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/measles/ ssible.
