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File photo of a measles-like rash Shutterstock/wk1003mike

Three suspected and one confirmed case of measles reported in latest weekly figures

The total number of reported cases so far this year is five.

THREE SUSPECTED MEASLES cases were reported in Ireland during the week of 4 to 10 February, according to figures released by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) today.

There was also one confirmed case during that week – the man who died in the Dublin and Midlands Health Region. The case was the first measles death in Ireland in over 20 years.

The other three suspected cases are among children. 

Every week the HPSC updates the number of reported measles cases in Ireland including a breakdown of whether or not the cases are confirmed, possible or probable.

Each suspected case needs to be tested in a laboratory before being confirmed as measles or denotified.

There were nine suspected measles cases in Ireland the previous week (28 January to 3 February), according to the HPSC.

However, eight of these nine cases have since been denotified, The Journal has confirmed. The ninth case is still be investigated and has, as of yet, not been confirmed as measles.

It means the total number of reported cases so far this year is five – one confirmed case and four suspected cases.

There were four measles cases in Ireland in 2023, two cases in 2022, no cases were reported in 2021, and five cases in 2020. 

What is measles?

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications, particularly in children under one year of age, pregnant women, and the immunosuppressed.

It typically starts with cold-like symptoms that develop about 10 days after a person gets infected. The person will get a rash a few days later.

The illness usually lasts for seven to 10 days. You can read more in our explainer on the disease here

Contains reporting by Daragh Brophy

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    Mute damien leen
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    Feb 14th 2024, 7:04 PM

    So 1 case of measles confirmed this week…Batton down the hatches people!!!

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    Mute Michelle Leonard
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    Feb 14th 2024, 8:07 PM

    @damien leen: my aunt died whopping cough at 4. They haven’t gone away

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Feb 14th 2024, 8:24 PM

    @damien leen: no travelling outside 5km from Yr home.

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    Mute damien leen
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    Feb 15th 2024, 7:49 AM

    @Michelle Leonard: sorry about that however at no point did I say they have gone away…merely alluding to the sensationalist news reporting by the Journal…

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    Mute paul dutton
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    Feb 14th 2024, 9:15 PM

    Don’t to take your mask off when you sit down in the restaurant and then puy it back on when your leaving, remember those days mother of christ tonight.

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    Mute ubeenfamed
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    Feb 14th 2024, 11:50 PM

    @paul dutton: but the mask was to be worn if you went to the restaurant toilet. It was an embarrassing rule tbh

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    Mute Mary Toilet
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    Feb 14th 2024, 9:44 PM

    Get vaccinated

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    Mute Nemethon
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    Feb 14th 2024, 9:22 PM

    Measles is in Wexford General Hospital I got confirmation of it today from staff.

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    Mute Syl Farrell
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    Feb 14th 2024, 11:12 PM

    The article is wrong. There has been one notified case of measles in Ireland in 2024. “Possible” cases need to be lab confirmed before they can be said to be measles. The vast majority of possible cases are not measles. The threshold for investigating possible measles cases is low so lots of things that are not measles get checked anyway. Why does the Journal let a staff member who seems to know so little about the subject write such an article?

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    Mute Athena
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    Feb 15th 2024, 8:33 AM

    @Syl Farrell: Also it would be useful to know whether the deceased died FROM measles or WITH measles.
    Maybe I missed that information but going by known ‘covid deaths’ it would be preferable to have transparent information.

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    Mute Syl Farrell
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    Feb 14th 2024, 11:28 PM

    Can’t seem to reply to Nemethon’s post for some reason. There is no measles in Wexford Hospital.

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    Mute Scott coulter
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    Feb 15th 2024, 1:54 AM

    2 weeks to flatten the curve.

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    Mute D
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    Feb 14th 2024, 10:49 PM

    O my god !

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    Mute john mac
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    Feb 15th 2024, 5:42 PM

    Monkey pox just disappeared

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