Around ten young children from Millau in Aveyron have contracted the measles virus. The cluster worries the authorities who note a drop in vaccination coverage for the most vulnerable. While the disease can be extremely dangerous.
Company
From daily life to major issues, discover the subjects that make up local society, such as justice, education, health and family.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the “Society” newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
The Occitanie Regional Health Agency is sounding the alarm. Several cases of measles have been reported in Millau in Aveyron since September 17, 2024. The epidemic first appeared among young children welcomed at the Early Childhood Center in the commune of Millau.
According to the ARS Occitanie press release sent this Thursday, October 3, dix children from 8 months to 10 years old would be contaminatedas well as an adult. “The majority of cases are not vaccinated or did not have a complete vaccination schedule” notes the Agency.
Characterized by rash of pimples all over the body, cough and high fever, “lMeasles is an illness that can be serious, particularly for pregnant women, infants under six months of age, and immunocompromised people.” details the ARS. It can even be fatal in the most severe cases..
Often wrongly considered benign, measles can lead to serious complications (pneumonitis, encephalitis, etc.) and hospitalizations.
Regional health agency – October 3, 2024
To eradicate measles, 95% of the population must be vaccinated.
•
© AFP/HECKLER Pierre
Viral disease, measles is theone of the most contagious diseases in the worldeach patient can contaminate up to twenty people, several days before the pimples erupt. It is easily transmitted through the airways, through coughing, sneezing and even by touching contaminated objects.
A mask and barrier gestures can limit contamination. But the ARS recalls that “vaccination (two doses) remains the most effective way to be well protected.” This vaccination is compulsory for children born in 2018 and later. It is also recommended for adults born after 1980. In the case of the Millau cluster, the town hall has taken the initiative of offering families a double injection for all children welcomed at the Early Childhood Center, and not yet vaccinated.
More than 30,000 cases of measles were recorded last year in Europe. It’s more than 30 times more than in 2022. This sudden resurgence is attributed to a drop in vaccination coverage during the Covid period. And it worries caregivers. Until now preserved thanks to compulsory vaccination, France has recorded several hundred cases of measles since spring 2024. Including several dozen in Occitanie.
Related News :