The number of measles cases has risen to 14 in Portugal, according to data released by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS). They also confirmed that three cases are under investigation, with a further two cases being recorded since the 29th of February.
According to data from the Epidemiological Bulletin No. 1 – Measles Epidemic Activity in Portugal 2024, between the 1st of January to the 3rd of March 2024, of the 94 suspected cases only 14 turned out to be measles.
“Between one and three confirmed cases per week were observed, mainly between 10 and 29 years old, in the regions of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, North and Madeira,” said the DGS.
According to the health authority, most of the cases involved children and young adults who had not appeared to have had their measles vaccination. Four of the cases required hospitalisation and luckily, no deaths were recorded.
Most of the cases (7) were recorded in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, followed by the North region (6) and the Autonomous Region of Madeira (1).
The first of the confirmed cases was that of a 20-month-old baby who was not a resident of Portugal and was not vaccinated.
The DGS warns of the importance of vaccination against measles according to the National Vaccination Program, which recommends two doses for children and adults born after 1970.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
