Mother and child, pregnant woman and health workers infected with measles: 15 cases registered so far

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Infection with measles has been confirmed in one more person in Serbia, so the number of confirmed cases is now 15. Among those infected are ten unvaccinated babies under the age of two, four adults with unknown and incomplete vaccination status, and one person who was a family contact.

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According to the Batut Institute of Public Health of Serbia, among the adults are employees of a health facility, a pregnant woman and a mother with her child.

"Complications in the form of pneumonia were present in two sick children, and two people are undergoing hospital treatment. Those hospitalized and those who are isolating at home are in a stable condition," according to the latest report from Batut.

The Institute of Public Health in Pozarevac reported an epidemic in Smederevo on January 12. The Epidemiological Service of the Institute conducts epidemiological research and coordinates measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Since January 11, the measures of epidemiological monitoring of measles in the territory of Serbia have been tightened. Bearing in mind the above-mentioned circumstances, the infectious period, seasonality, established contacts, measures of stricter monitoring should be implemented until further notice, i.e. at least until the end of the double maximum incubation period from the last registered case, and in accordance with the assessment of the epidemiological situation at the epicenter of the epidemic, that is, in the territory of the Republic.

There were about 5,800 registered patients during the last measles epidemic in Serbia in 2017 and 2018. Of them, 93% were unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated or with unknown vaccination status. One third of the patients were hospitalized due to the severity of the clinical picture followed by complications. There were also 15 deaths during that epidemic, including four children under the age of five.

(Telegraf.rs)