Eighteen-year-old from Zenica first measles death in ZDC, 1,218 infected this year

(Patria) - The Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica (INZ) has reported the first death from measles in the Zenica-Doboj Canton, confirmed by Dr. Alisa Kozica, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Hygiene at INZ.

- It is a male person, born in 2006 from Zenica, hospitalized at the Cantonal Hospital Zenica (KBZ), said Dr. Kozica.

In the period from January 1 to today, July 19 this year, the total number of measles cases is 1,218, according to received reports of infectious diseases in the ZDC area. The highest number of reported cases is in Zenica - 487, Kakanj - 443, and Visoko - 185. Today, the competent Ministry declared an epidemic in this canton.

- The exponential growth of measles infections continues, meaning that one infected child can infect forty (40) other children. In the same period, the vaccination coverage of the target age group with the MMR vaccine in the ZDC area is 37 percent, while coverage of other age groups (supplementary immunization) is 46 percent. To prevent an epidemic, it is necessary to strive in every settlement to vaccinate at least 95 percent of unvaccinated children, emphasizes Dr. Kozica.

From the Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica, they again warned parents that immunization is the only epidemiological measure to prevent the disease and the development of complications, including death from an infectious disease.

- Good practice examples from parents in other cities of the Zenica-Doboj Canton who have achieved high immunization coverage and thus gained strong herd immunity, and therefore have a lower number of cases, should be used, INZ states.

We remind that a death of a 17-year-old young man was also recorded in Sarajevo.