The majority of the 31 cases of measles reported to the health authorities this year involved young adults who were unlikely to have been vaccinated when they were children.
According to figures published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of measles cases in Malta soared to an unprecedented level this year, with 30 cases reported in the first six months. Since June, another case was reported to the authorities. Only 11 cases were reported between 2011 and 2018.
Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci confirmed the number of cases this year had soared.
While six cases were reported last year, five of which were imported, this year several of the diseases were acquired locally.
“The virus is highly contagious and even if a person is exposed to someone with the disease for just 15 minutes, it can spread. That is why it is important that people are vaccinated against the virus,” Dr Gauci said.
Young people, she said, are the most susceptible to getting the disease, especially if they have not been vaccinated.
Of the 31 cases of measles reported this year, only seven involved young children. The remaining 24 cases involved adults under the age of 50, Dr Gauci said, adding that the majority of those who contracted measles were males.
Of the 31 cases of measles reported this year, only seven involved young children.
While an estimated 95 per cent of children in Malta get the vaccine, Dr Gauci warned against anti-vaccine online lobbying, saying parents could easily be lured into believing certain myths put forward by certain groups.
“That is why we always insist that parents should consult with medical professionals so that they can better understand the situation,” she said.
It is never too late to get the vaccine.
According to Dr Gauci, adults who find out they were not given the vaccine as children are still in time to do now that they are older. The vaccine is free to anyone born after 1983, she said.
“Because we do not see measles so often, people seem to forget it is a serious illness that can even cause death.”
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.
Initial symptoms, which usually appear around 10 to 12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.
Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.
The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis [an infection that causes brain swelling], severe diarrhoea and related dehydration, and severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia.