Three cases of measles have been declared at Vivonne prison, near Poitiers, the Regional Health Agency announced on Thursday. A vaccination campaign has been set up within the premises.
The Occitanie Regional Health Agency announced Thursday that three new cases of measles have been reported in Vivonne prison, near Poitiers. Two of them are proven and the third is under medical supervision, according to France Blue Poitou. A vaccination campaign was set up this week in the prison. The staff of the establishment must also check if they are up to date with their vaccinations. Because only the symptoms can be treated. To protect yourself and others, vaccination remains the only option.
“An extension of the epidemic is to be feared because no department is currently reaching the rate required to interrupt the circulation of the virus of 95% vaccination coverage at two years for the two doses of vaccine”, fears Public Health France. “Measles is 10 times more contagious than the flu. It is transmitted very easily from one person to another through the air, when coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, or by contact with contaminated objects (toys, handkerchiefs, etc. …) “, Recalls the ARS.
The measles epidemic continues to rage
Measles is indeed an infectious disease caused by a very contagious virus. Often wrongly considered as benign, “measles is not just a childhood disease, it also affects adolescents and young adults and can cause serious complications (pneumonia, encephalitis …) and sometimes hospitalizations “, even death, recalls the ARS. 1,527 cases of measles have been identified since the start of 2018 and 1,605 since November 6, Public Health France announced on April 11.
Since November 2017, 327 people have been hospitalized: 138 had a severe form of measles and 16 were taken to intensive care. In 2018 alone, 19 hospitalizations were recorded, including 14 for complicated forms of measles. Of the total number of people infected since the beginning of winter, 926 people were not vaccinated, 166 had received a single dose of the two necessary to protect themselves from the virus. An unvaccinated 32-year-old woman died in Poitiers last January.
Insufficient vaccination coverage
Measles is an infectious disease caused by a highly contagious virus that previously affected mainly young children from 5–6 months of age. This is no longer the case: a third of the reported cases concern people over 15 years old. However, cases of measles in adults are potentially more dangerous.
“An extension of the epidemic is to be feared because no department is currently reaching the rate required to interrupt the circulation of the virus of 95% vaccination coverage at two years for the two doses of vaccine”, fears Public Health France. “Measles is 10 times more contagious than the flu. It is transmitted very easily from one person to another through the air, when coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, or by contact with contaminated objects (toys, handkerchiefs, etc.) ) “, recalls the ARS.
Traditionally, the vaccination schedule consists of the injection of a dose of MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) at 12 months and then a second injection between 16 and 18 months. For people who have never been vaccinated against measles, a catch-up is possible. It consists of injecting two doses of the vaccine at least one month apart. In the event of an epidemic, it is possible to receive the vaccine for up to 72 hours after having been in contact with a person suffering from measles to prevent the onset of the disease (catch-up vaccination).
.
