FORTY-SEVEN MEASLES cases have been confirmed in Ireland so far this year, according to the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). 

As of this morning, there are also 18 suspected cases currently under investigation.

Suspected cases of measles are tested in a laboratory, before being either officially confirmed as measles or denotified and several possible measles cases have been declassified in recent weeks. 

Outbreaks

Seven outbreaks have occurred so far in 2024, all of which occurred in private houses and involved between two and five cases in each outbreak.

Of the 47 confirmed cases this year, 21 are male, 24 are female, and the gender has not been recorded for two cases.

One case has been recorded among a toddler under 12 months, while ten cases have been confirmed among those aged 25-34.

Age-group breakdown of the confirmed measles cases so far this year. HPSC HPSC

Symptoms

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications.

Particularly vulnerable groups are children under one year of age, pregnant women, and people who are immunosuppressed.

A measles infection tends to start with cold-like symptoms that develop about 10 days after a person is infected, followed a few days later by a rash. Symptoms include:

• Cold-like symptoms (eg runny nose, sneezing, coughing)
• Sore, red eyes
• A temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above
• A rash, which usually appears on the head and neck before spreading to the rest of the body.