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Dublin: 6 °C Saturday 25 May, 2013

Measles cases on the rise – report

While incidences of MRSA were the lowest ever recorded by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre, the number of measles cases in Ireland rose by 149 per cent last year.

File photo of a baby being immunised for measles
File photo of a baby being immunised for measles
Image: John Birdsall/John Birdsall/Press Association Images

THE NUMBER OF measles cases in Ireland rose by 149 per cent last year, according to the latest report by the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The HPSC said that while MRSA infection rates were at their lowest level since surveillance began, cases of measles were on the increase. The greatest rise in cases were among Traveller and Roma communities and within families who did not have children vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the HPSC report.

Some 403 cases of measles were reported in 2010 and, of those, 108 required hospitalisation. In comparison, just 162 cases were recorded during the previous year.

Outbreaks of measles were also recorded in other European countries during 2010.

Meanwhile, rates of MRSA fell by 14 per cent in 2010 on the previous year – and are now at the lowest levels recorded by the HPSC. Similarly, cases of C-Dificile fell by 11 per cent during 2010.

Read in full: HPSC Annual Report 2010>

Read: Warnings over ‘chickenpox lollipops’>

Read: MMR vaccine to be offered in response to measles outbreak>

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Comments (9 Comments)

  • No worries here. Ours got their M.M.R.

    Reply
  • Maybe the HSE should get their finger out of their hole and organise pre existing vaccination programmes properly. We went to GP to get MMR booster for 4 year old but was told it Would be done by the school. we’re still waiting. Falling between two stools now. Idiots couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery. Rant over.

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  • Iain – afaik, the school vaccination programme is excellent. Your child should have been vaccinated when they were born. Everything after that is a booster that is given at the medically recommended time.

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    • I did say booster in my post.

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    • And we are still trying to get the school / HSE to pull their finger out. GP won’t do it cos it’s the HSE or Schools responsibility. HSE / school aren’t doing it because???.?

      Reply
    • Again, afaik, your child will get their booster when it is medically advised that they do so.

      Can I ask what has prompted your decision to get the booster now? As far as I can remember with mine, it was first class when they got their first booster. Which would be 6-7.

      (btw – I am no expert)

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    • She is fully up to date with all shots. We have a little book from HSE since birth with records of all shots and when she should get boosters etc. next booster is due aged 4-5 years. Im always over cautious with kids and wanted it done ASAP, but not having much luck getting anyone do it.

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    • Iain – HSE probably haven’t just got to your school yet. Booster is given in Junior Infants, HSE responsibility, schools facilitate when contacted. 1st term not complete yet, plenty of time. They wll get round to you.

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    • Hey, Iain, the vaccination of your child is not the responsibility of the school, it is merely used as a cost and time effective location for vaccination.Get your facts sorted before you start apportioning blame and maybe you will find your child will be vaccinated in 2012, if your child started school in September it’s not unreasonable to not have had the vaccinations yet.

      Reply

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