Rise in measles cases ‘cause of concern’, says Cork GP

A CORK GP has described an increase in measles cases in the HSE South West region as a “cause of concern”.

Last month, the HSE issued a public health alert following a confirmed case of measles at Cork University Hospital, warning people who had attended the hospital on May 12 and May 13 to be on alert for the disease.

The latest weekly ‘measles in Ireland’ report published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows that five cases in total have now been confirmed in the region.

Cork GP and Fianna Fáil councillor Dr John Sheehan said that he received an alert from the HSE to encourage heightened awareness due to a rise in the number of cases in the region.

“The difficulty is that it’s very transmissible — in an unvaccinated population, a case can spread to 15 people, so it’s one of the most contagious viral infections out there,” he said.

“The HSE are encouraging people to get vaccinated, and the MRR vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines out there, one dose means you’re 90% protected and two gives a protection of 98%.”

Dr Sheehan said that anyone born before 1978 is considered immune to measles, but if anyone born after that is unsure whether or not they are vaccinated, they should check with their GP, adding: “They might recommend an extra dose of MRR, because if you end up getting three, it’s not shown to have any negative effect.

If someone suspects that they or their child have measles, Dr Sheehan advised them to call their doctor before presenting at the surgery.

He said he has seen only one measles case in Blackpool in 20 years, adding: “The single biggest thing that’s made a difference is the vaccination, it’s seen a huge reduction in how many people get measles, how many get unwell with it and how many die.”