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THE NUMBER OF reported measles cases in Ireland more than trebled this year.
There were 85 reported cases as of 17 December, up from just 25 for the whole of 2017, according to provisional figures.
The majority of these cases – 73 – were confirmed, while 12 were deemed to be probable or possible cases. The last confirmed case was in October.
Seven in 10 of the confirmed cases (51; 69%) involved people who were not vaccinated.
When only taking into consideration confirmed cases among people aged 12 months and older (all of whom are eligible for vaccination as part of the national programme) there were 64 cases, of whom 43 individuals were not vaccinated (67%).
Males accounted for 53 of the confirmed cases, while 32 females were affected.
Children aged four and under were the group most affected, with 24 cases; there were 13 cases among people aged 15-19 years; and 11 cases among both the 20-24 age group and 35-44 age group.
The HSE released a number of warnings about the condition during the year after a spike in reported cases.
People at increased risk of getting measles are those who are not fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine or who have not had measles in the past. The risk of infection remains for up to 21 days after contact with a case of measles.
The majority of the cases this year involved onward transmission in hospital and community sessions – that is, the condition spreading after a person with measles came into contact with others.
At least five of the 85 cases related to people returning to Ireland after being exposed to a person with measles while abroad.
The rate of measles infections across Europe reached a record high this year – more than 41,000 children and adults were infected with measles in the first six months of 2018, according to the World Health Organization.
There have been 72 measles-related deaths in Europe this year, twice as many as 2017, but none in Ireland.
Here’s a geographical breakdown of where the measles cases occurred here:
There were no confirmed cases in the midlands.
‘Very large outbreak’
Dr Suzanne Cotter, Specialist in Public Health Medicine at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), said the worst outbreak originated in the midwest after a person who had been exposed to measles abroad returned to Ireland.
She said this particular case “resulted in a very large outbreak” which spread to the west and southeast following onward transmission in community and healthcare settings.
“Not being vaccinated is the main risk factor,” Cotter said.
She said there is “a certain amount of vaccine-hesitancy” among some groups, due in part to misinformation being spread about vaccines.
The Department of Health gives the following advice in relation to the MMR vaccine:
In recent years, the uptake rate for the MMR vaccine has remained quite stable – the uptake rate among children aged 24 months was 92% in the second quarter of 2018, unchanged from the same period last year.
Cotter said these figures are “good but not good enough”, adding that the goal is to reach at least 95%.
Don’t know if they got vaccine
Cotter said many of the adults who contracted measles “assumed they were immune” but “didn’t know if they had measles as child or didn’t know if they had the vaccine”.
“People frequently don’t have their vaccine records, there was no automated system in previous decades,” she said.
Cotter said some people’s parents “chose to delay vaccination years ago and then completely forgot about it”, adding: “Those individuals are really hard to identify.”
She noted that some individuals may have intended to get the vaccine but genuinely forgot and have the attitude of, ‘I’ve survived this long without having measles, do I need to worry about it now?’
Cotter said a minority of people may miss out on getting the vaccine if they “are moving address a lot and miss letters and appointment reminders”, adding that, anecdotally, this seems to be the case with some families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have to regularly relocate, meaning they have no stable address.
‘Safe, effective vaccine’
Cotter said measles is a serious condition and advised people to get the vaccine.
“The MMR vaccine is a safe, effective vaccine. It definitely provides protection against measles, which can be a serious disease.
A substantial proportion of individuals with measles were hospitalised this year. It’s not a mild illness and can be quite severe.
If people think they may have measles, they should stay at home and phone their GP for advice.
People who are sick should not attend any congregated settings such as crèche, school, work or religious gatherings until they have recovered from illness.
Measles symptoms include:
Measures to prevent the spread of measles if you think you may have the condition:
Risk of measles from international travel:
There are ongoing outbreaks of measles in multiple countries in Europe and worldwide. Most of the cases in the EU in 2018 were reported from Romania, France, Greece and Italy.
Most people who get measles on holiday do not know they were exposed until they develop disease, the HSE said. Unrecognised exposures to measles have occurred at airports, on planes, at concerts, in shops and in healthcare settings.
Advice for people travelling abroad:
Vaccination remains the most effective measure against infection. Children aged six-11 months who are travelling to other countries and regions where measles outbreaks have been reported are recommended to get the MMR vaccine.
A dose given before 12 months of age does not replace the dose that would normally be given at 12 months of age, the HSE advised.
Older children should be age-appropriately vaccinated. Children who have missed their recommended doses should get the MMR vaccine from their GP.
Adults may be at risk of measles, particularly those under 40 years of age who have never had measles or two doses of a measles vaccine.
Complications of measles:
Measles can cause chest infections, fits (seizures), ear infections, swelling of the brain and/or damage to the brain.
Measles is a notifiable disease and GPs and hospital clinicians should immediately notify public health authorities if they suspect someone has measles.
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parents: trust your doctors, the WHO and the EU medical authorities – vaccinate your children as appropriately at the right times
@Anne Warren: the WHO classes FLUORIDE as a neuro-toxin, why don’t we trust them on that. Give me a break, the WHO, I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. I trust people who don’t have a conflict of interest. I trust people who don’t have vested interests.
@Philip Mulhern: do you trust Andrew Wakefield who was proven to have a conflict of interest when he produced that toilet paper study
@Trev heff: That would be disgraced former Dr A Wakefield who was struck off the UK medical register and had his influential article on MMR and autism withdrawn by the Lancet that had published it. Wakefield continues to propagate this nonsense in the USA and draws support from the anti-fact movement that preys on the gullible.
@Terry McClatchey: I wouldn’t even put Dr before his name.
@Philip Mulhern:
Hi Philip. There is no global conspiracy regarding fluoride. Vaccination works and has saved hundreds of millions over the past century from nasty and painful deaths. JFK is definitely dead. Alex Jones and David Icke are entertaining but not to regarded as hallmarks of data credibility. Trust me on this. I did Junior Cert history, read a few newspapers and travelled to a couple of poor countries during my 50+ years on this rock. That’s all you have to do to get the basics of how this stuff works. No reptilian overlords, no mind control. Just basic tried and tested medical science. Take a day off an read up on the horrors of Smallpox, Diptheria, Pertussis, Rabies, Tetanus etc. fans follow up with a simple review of the basics of statistics. You will be AMAZED…
@Kevin: they got to you too
@Seamus Mac: You will probably be interested in this. It is the first of many and the 6 in 1 currently used in Ireland https://www.corvelva.it/speciali-corvelva/analisi/vaccingate-initial-results-on-infanrix-hexa-chemical-composition.html
They have a second paper on another similar product in use in other countries. If you were getting what it says on the insert or what’s it has received a licence for that would be one thing but this is bordering on medical fraud if proven true. And all of us are
Paying for it
@Marie Ahern Martínez: totally debunked organisation.fake news again.
@Philip Mulhern: alcohol is a toxin but original or drink it all the time.
It’s the quantity consumed that matters…
@Seamus Mac:
100% Correct.
Myself plus the millions of others who never contracted any of these childhood illnesses have all been victims of the big pharma conspiracy.
PS: If your ever unfortunate enough to come down with a serious infection or a chronic / life threatening medical condition make sure to inform your attending physician that you want no part of any big pharma treatment protocol. It’s more than likely he’s been duped as well.
@Kevin: are you saying this of your own free will Kevin?
@Seamus Mac: I assumed he was being sarcastic
@Rob Cahill: so was I
Congratulations anti-vaxxers. Your trust in some article you read on the internet over your own GP and medical professionals as a whole, coupled with your paranoia about “Big Pharma” and other such tinfoil hattery, has resulted in an almost-eradicated disease making a comeback all over the world. Gowls!
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: Yea. U keep gettin sucked in there. How’re those cervical checks goin?? It’s all money nowadays, trust nobody who is making money from u.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: doctors told us cigarettes were safe and not bad for your health at one stage
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: I think you’ll find that most of the people showing up are foreigners. They allude to it by saying, people who may make foreign travel.
Our vax stats haven’t changed, It’s the open borders policy directly affecting the health service, again.
@James Doherty: ease up with the personal insults pal. Make a counter point if you wish but watch how you carry yourself
@Before it’s too late: Is there anything you don’t blame immigrants on? It’s really boring at this stage.
@European Bob: The article states that Irish vax levels haven’t decreased, where would you put the blame. Just because you don’t want to hear the truth, doesn’t make it any less true.
@Before it’s too late: The article states that vax levels haven’t decreased in Ireland. It doesn’t state anywhere that all those vaxed in Ireland are Irish. Just more alternative “facts” masquerading as the truth from yourself.
@Kath Noonan: I’ve no problem if you want to be an antivaxxer. However, if you choose that route you choose to no longer be a responsible member of society. As such, you should not be allowed to avail of schools, hospitals, public streets or any public location which is paid for by the rest of society as you are a danger and threat to the health and lives of members of that society.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: When are you fools going to understand something. The information is not from some website, it comes from Doctors. Doctors who are threatened and usually silenced through coercion. Where do you get your info from, the TV, don’t make me laugh. It’s not called the idiot box for nothing. Go research for YOURSELF, instead of regurgitating something you heard a stranger say on T.V. And you think people like me are the fools. I hate to break it to you, but you sheep are the fools.
@Philip Mulhern: please provide credible scientific evidence to support your point
FFS…they are all out force today. Enjoy your measles folks and if you have kids and they get measles I hope you let them know it’s your fault.
@Philip Mulhern: what research did you do yourself? Let me guese anti’ vaxxer videos on youtube, because they are soooo reliable.
@Bluey: Wrong!
@Philip Mulhern: Yeah everyone else is a fool. The temerity of them following medical advice (accepted by the enormous majority of the medical community) rather than “doing their own research”. Please tell me you do the same for all medical procedures? Will help you win a Darwin Award at some stage and save the rest of us from your insufferable babbling. That said, Happy Xmas
@Philip Mulhern: Thanks Philip. I HAVE researched for myself. All the research that I’ve found from independent, peer reviewed scientific sources point toward the importance of vaccines.
Do you even know how science works?
@Philip Mulhern: next time you need brain surgery, you crack on with your own “research” and don’t mind all those surgeons with their degrees and experience. Or do you pick and choose when you accept qualified medical advice dependent on how much it affects you personally?
@Philip Mulhern: It’s fantastic to have some views from the Anti vaccination side appear it really is. Anyone that swallows any facet of your argument above Philip is extremely naive and unfortunate. My real problem with the ‘movement’ is most anticipated vaxxers are actually Vaccinated, it is their children that they are putting at risk with their clear conspiracy theories, that’s the real shame.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: how can unvaccinated kids be a threat to vaxxinated kids? Are u saying that vaccines do not work? Also it is true that MMR vaccine carries a live strain of the disease so actually it is the vaxxed kids who shed the infection, and can cause measles outbreaks.
@Caroline Cresham: oh wow
@Caroline Cresham: Because the vaccines are not 100% proof and kids can still get the diseases even when they are vaccinated.it causes mild symptoms in the child who is vaccinated in order to stimulate the immune system but does not transfer to healthy people.
Measles outbreaks have happened in areas where the uptake in vaccination has decreased.The vax is also essential for older people who have not been vaccinated due to their age.
@Kath Noonan: Dunning Kreuger on display
@Kath Noonan: Yeah, because doctors are out to get you. Cop on.
@Philip Mulhern: You are the perfect example of someone who is completely confounded and overwhelmed by science. Sad.
That is because of all the g ##<##<es who did not vaccinate, plain and simple.
@Maid Marian: giraffes?
@Maid Marian: but 3 out of 10 cases were vaccinated! Does that mean the vaccine didn’t work for them?
@sean conway: no, it means they lied.
Instead of a stock photo of a needle going into a child’s arm perhaps use a photo of a person who has measles or is suffering from the complications of the disease?
I read a really interesting article recently some academic research that was done in Colombia university into the psychology of people who believe conspiracy theorys.It was very large study but some of the main findings were, the group was male in the majority, mainly of average to low intelligence working in menial jobs or unemployed, usually single with low levels of life achievements.The report determined that believing conspiracy theories made these people feel that were better and smarter that their peers who needed to “wake up ” and were sheep.In reality this was just a crutch for these people hide their own personal inadequacies.The conspiracy theory belief is driven by a deep need to set themselves apart from general society where they are failing as individuals.So believers of antivax theories can point the finger at general society and say ” look at you guys your sheep , we antivaxers are smarter than you and then they feel better about themselves.So it’s not the merits of the theory that matter rather the ego boost it provides to people.
@Robert Woodward: wow very interesting. Any link to that article?
So no conspiracy theory has ever turned out to be true? Would you say that’s accurate and stand by it?
@Robert Woodward: seems a fair assessment based off the anti vax commentators on here.
@Bluey: The study wasn’t about the truth of Conspiracy theories or not ( and there maybe some that are on the money).It examined the psychological drivers that attract people to them.The demographics are broad and it’s not just the spotty unemployed teens with no girlfriends who believes them but there is some underling key factors that drive their increasing popularity.The go into this in great detail in the study but one of the main points I took was the explosion of Narcissism through social media and the degradation of the expert ( where being an expert in an area is seen as a bad thing)
@Bluey: At no point did he say that, or even imply it!! The comment was about the conspiracy theorists motivations.
@Robert Woodward: sounds like an interesting read, do you have a link?
@Robert Woodward: Your points are so well made and explained. Thank you for that .( genuine)
@Robert Woodward: Narcissism is a key element of a state of mind called they talk about in the study called uneasy arrogance which sounds very academic but its something we come across every day on social media and in comments threads.It means forming a intractable opinions on an idea without doing the work to completely understand it fully.I am no doubt guilty of this myself as most of us are but people like anti-vaxers take this to an extreme facilitated by the echo chamber of commentary they listen to which has no balance or allows no questioning.
@Bluey: can you provide us with a list of conspiracy theories that have been shown to be true? Oh wait, they’re all true!
Anti Vaxers are fools
@De: 24 cases… hardly something to worry about!
@wormtubes: 85
@De: at least now we have a solid reference. I’m sure the number of autism cases also decreased by two thirds to reflect the increase in non vaccinated kids. anyone?
@Gulliver Foyle: what has Autism got to do with this.please provide credible scientific evidence to support your point.If not I urge the journal to delete your comment
@Trev heff: I would hazard a guess that it is a reference to the numpties that decided to believe the false claim about vaccines causing autism.
@Dan: apologies read it with a blurry head.my bad
Great article, comprehensive, inclusive.
There must be a fair few older people whose GPs have died and don’t have access to their childhood records. Is there even a test for people to check immunity levels? I assume it’s quicker to go and get the jab if they aren’t sure what they had as children?
@Fiona Fitzgerald: pretty sure 3 holes in your upper left arm are record enough, but I may be mistaken.
@Brendan Hughes: think those 3 holes are the BCG – the anti tuberculosis vaccination. In older people they may even be the sign of the anti-smallpox vaccination
@Anne Warren: Scar one is Measles, Mumps and Rubella and it’s the bottom scar on the left, the top scar is the BCG for tuberculosis and the bottom right scar is for smallpox. Younger generations have only two as they don’t vaccinate for smallpox anymore and in recent years there’s often only one scar or none at all due to clinicians not plucking the needle through the skin to cause the scar in the first place. Polio vaccine was given by drops or by sugar lumps in junior infants.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: yeah great idea. If they didn’t put enough aluminium to cause Alzheimer’s the first time, then just to be sure, get it done again.
@Philip Mulhern: there’s more aluminium in breast milk than mmr
@Philip Mulhern: I think the aluminium from your tinfoil hat has seeped through your skull.
@Philip Mulhern: Are you for real? How does Journal allow these comments.
@Brendan Hughes: you are ( mistaken). You are referring to the BCG, an anti TB vaccine, currently unavailable globally afaik. Measles can kill, or arguably worse, cause life changing brain damage. I have experience of this.
Yes, Big Pharma is out to make money, yes the WHO & UN make prats of themselves on occasion, I was even nearly wrong myself, once ( old joke, sorry, it just slipped in). Yes we need a degree of scepticism towards all of the above, & everyone else besides.
Clean water & vaccinations are the most important single causes of low death rates amongst our children, so:
1) Support Uisce Éireann/Irish Water ( tongue firmly in cheek)
2) Vaccinate your children
I contracted measles in the womb, I’m partially deaf because of it. I made sure my kids were vaccinated. Don’t understand those that don’t vaccinate their kids. The complications that come from measles are far worse.
@Louise Dunne: Presumably, you got measles in the womb because your mother, for whatever reason, had not developed immunity.
“Mothers who are immune to measles pass antibodies to their children while they are still in the womb, especially if the mother acquired immunity though infection rather than vaccination. Such antibodies will usually give newborn infants some immunity against measles, but these antibodies are gradually lost over the course of the first nine months of life.” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measles#Prevention
That is because of all the idiots who did not vaccinate, plain and simple.
@Maid Marian: So?? U get ur vaccine if u wish. Likewise I’ll do what I want with my body. Not ur business.
@Kath Noonan: it is when you’re disease ridden and using the same public space as others.
Why can’t you understand that?
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: nobody can get into your bubble
@Bluey: Get vaccinated dumb_ass ☺
@Kath Noonan: I just hope you’re not a mother and putting your children and children in contact with your children at risk of catching a disease that has been virtually eradicated, but now thanks to conspiracy theorists like you, is making a comeback.
@Rebecca De Stanleigh: if you are vaccinated then why would it matter?????????????????
@Philip Mulhern: It matters because vaccines work on the principle of herd immunity. You obviously don’t care about babies getting whooping cough etc.
@Kath Noonan:
It is everyone’s business. Including yours. Vaccination works. Period. Stop being an ass and dump your Alex Jones playlist.
@European Bob: ok
@Kath Noonan: you don’t understand vaccinations do you? Herd immunity provides protection when a large portion of the population becomes immune to a disease, thereby protecting those who are not immune. The more people opt out of vaccinations the more exposed those without immunity become. 8 out of 10 kids in a population might get vaccination, but because the 2/10 don’t, the disease doesn’t go away.
It’s amazing how many anti vaccers say they do their own research, but fail to even grasp how vaccinations work.
@Philip Mulhern: you don’t understand vaccinations do you Philip? This comment exposes how little “research” you have actually done. Searching for articles on the internet that agree with your bias is not research. Google herd Immunity and educate yourself.
@Kath Noonan: If you have children I hope you have the common sense to vaccinate them.
@Owen Ball: she’s not the sharpest thinker…
@StevieB: If you get vaccinated for measles, you still get measles. Furthermore, you become a measles carrier. The measles comes from the vaccine but, it is a weakened dose, possibly leaving you vulnerable, in later life, to a stronger, more aggressive, more virulent strain. People who get measles through natural infection (ideally when you are young, fit and healthy) get the full dose and therefore, receive lifetime immunity (that is the generally held belief).
@Owen Ball: And how does one become immune?
Probably mostly unvaccinated immigrants.
Anti vax types are morons. Nothing else needs to be said.
Ultimately every parent tries to make the best choice for their children.. What p×sses me right off is when one particular set of parents aims to insult the others by slagging their choices because they don’t believe that it was the right one . Just live and let live. (Bad choice of words I know )
@Elaynehb:
I’m assuming the irony in your comment was unintentional…
Nothing to do with Andrew Wakefield. I would
Look at the CDC and their manipulation of the research to make the instances of autism seem less
Among vulnerable populations . There is an abundance of research out there if you look hard enough that flags the risks of vaccination among vulnerable children, from clusters of SIDS within hours or days of vaccination and autoimmune diseases. This Italian Research was launched in December and illustrates why so many are distrustful of the conflicts of interest and the super profits to be made from vaccinations becoming mandatory in so many countries. https://www.corvelva.it/speciali-corvelva/analisi/vaccingate-initial-results-on-infanrix-hexa-chemical-composition.html
@Marie Ahern Martínez: perhaps you should use “research” from a largely discredited anti vaccine group who haven’t published in any serious peer reviewed journals.
https://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/vaccine-pseudoscience-corvelva-anti-vaccine-researchers/
@Owen Ball: “shouldn’t” even!
@Marie Ahern Martínez: Random link alert.
Pity there is no vaccine for stupidity.
Here’s a thought for you idiot anti-vaxxers: Smallpox
69% were not vaccinated, 31% lied about it.
@sean conway: fair play to someone who actually read the whole article!! There is a case going on atm. There are a few whistle blowers that work for mercks(the company who make the mmr vaccine)
They have said the company are lying about the effectivness testing of the vaccine..
And reading here 3 out of 10 were vaccinared who got the measles… Would that not means it alot less than 95% effective???
have your say