More children falling ill: Institute of Public Health not notified of baby's death from measles at KCUS

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The information that a nine-month-old baby died at the Pediatric Clinic of KCUS due to measles could not be confirmed by Dr. Anisa Bajramović, head of the Immunization Service of the Institute of Public Health of Canton Sarajevo, who stated that as of today, March 12, 2019, the Institute has not received any report of illness - death from an infectious disease, i.e., measles, from UKCS.

However, the number of measles cases is increasing, and the vaccination rate is unsatisfactory.

„The percentage of children not vaccinated with the MRP vaccine in Canton Sarajevo, as well as in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is not at a satisfactory level - it should be 95% to achieve herd immunity, and it is estimated that vaccination with the first dose is around 60%, and with the second dose less than 50%. The healthcare facility that provides immunization of children against infectious diseases, the Health Center of Canton Sarajevo, has sufficient quantities of the MMR/MRP vaccine,“ says Dr. Bajramović for the Patria agency.

As of yesterday, March 11, 2019, the number of measles cases in Canton Sarajevo, based on received reports of infectious diseases, is 65.

„In this case, we are talking about an increased number of measles cases, because Bosnia and Herzegovina is an endemic area for measles,“ notes Dr. Bajramović.

Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is a viral, highly contagious disease from the group of exanthematous fevers, which mainly affects children. It is caused by the measles virus. The disease clinically manifests with general weakness, fatigue, fever, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and the appearance of a rash that gradually spreads over the skin from the face and neck to the trunk and limbs.

The incubation period for measles is consistent and lasts 10-11 days without any symptoms, and in the last third of the incubation period, the patient is infectious. The clinical course of the disease progresses through three stages, and in some cases, it can result in complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.

The diagnosis of measles is made based on the clinical picture and detection of antibodies in the blood. There is no specific therapy for measles. Its occurrence and complications can be prevented by vaccinating children from the age of twelve months, thanks to which a large number of cases have been significantly reduced in the past.