The Ministry of Health of the City confirmed to THE NATION what a 25-year-old pregnant woman, who had traveled abroad, had measles. The patient, who is nine weeks pregnant and I was not vaccinated for that diseaseis now in good health.
Earlier this month, the woman returned from a trip to Dubai, Jordan and the Maldives. After 11 days in Argentina, she presented some symptoms. First, it was ruled out that it was coronavirus and then the Buenos Aires health authorities carried out the necessary protocols in the epidemiological field.
Once the case was confirmed, the corresponding follow-up of the people who were in contact was carried out. Measles is a highly contagious disease. In an unvaccinated population, an infected person can transmit the virus to up to 16 people.
“At the moment, the patient is discharged clinically and epidemiologically at her home, outside the period of transmissibility and in good health,” the sources consulted by this newspaper indicated.
Meanwhile, the investigation of their cohabiting contacts, non-cohabiting relatives and social contacts by the Epidemiological Office of the Ministry of Health is underway. So far, no symptomatic people have been detected. Likewise, the contacts in the health institutions where the patient consulted and in the labor institution are being followed up, and no suspicious cases were detected at the time of the investigation.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Health of the Nation had issued a epidemiological alert when the imported case of measles had not yet been confirmed. The objective of the health authorities is to reinforce controls and take extreme measures.
From the portfolio, the health teams were urged “to intensify the epidemiological surveillance from febrile rash illness (that the patient has 38 ° C or more and that he has a rash on his skin that calls attention) and his immediate notification “.
In dialogue with THE NATION, Angela Gentilehead of Epidemiology at the Ricardo Gutiérrez Children’s Hospital and president of the National Commission for the Certification of the Elimination of Measles, Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndromehad highlighted: “The vaccine we have has high efficiency. It is important to emphasize a campaign to complete the schemes. Just under 80% of the population has both doses against measles, when it is recommended that there be at least 90% coverage. We are not with useful coverage”.
Various organizations have long warned about the decrease in compliance with the mandatory vaccination schedule due to the pandemic of coronavirus. The measles vaccine is scheduled for one year of life and school entry, so all boys and girls from 12 months to 5 years old should have at least one dose.
“It is important to further strengthen vaccination in those who must travel, even more so that they review the vaccination cards, that they approach the health system and consult,” said the Undersecretary of Information Management, Permanent Education and Control of the Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires, Leticia Ceriani, in dialogue with 221 Radio.
Regarding the countries that may pose a risk due to the circulation of this virus, the official mentioned Venezuela and Brazil, although she also commented that “Europe never had the status of a free country as our country has.” Ceriani pointed out that, when in doubt, “you have to get vaccinated again”, adding that the symptoms of measles are quite similar at first to those of Covid-19, “but the characteristic are the spots on the skin”.