Image: APA/dpa/Bernd von Jutrczenka
An eleven-year-old girl is ill and is being treated at the Kepler University Hospital (KUK) in Linz. The child is in the normal ward; The KUK does not know where it got infected, said a spokeswoman. As it became known on Friday evening, three other members of the family were infected. They are in isolation at home due to the mild course, the said State Health Directorate. There are four confirmed measles cases in Upper Austria.
Upper Austria’s health officer, LH deputy Christine Haberlander (ÖVP), took the current cases as an opportunity to call for free vaccinations. Once again she spoke out in favor of including the measles vaccination in the mandatory part of the parent-child passport.
Austria-wide 36 cases
Since the beginning of the year, 36 measles cases have been reported in Austria, according to the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). That was three more than last Friday. After a cluster that occurred in Styria, to which by far the most infections can be attributed, Ages also expects further follow-up cases.
Of those found in Austria this year measlescases concern 30 Styria. In addition to Upper Austria, an infection in Carinthia and Vienna has been confirmed by the health authorities since the turn of the year.
High complication rates
Measles is a serious infectious disease with high complication rates. A measles infection weakens the immune system for several years and increases the risk of contracting other infectious diseases or even dying.
In 20 percent of measles cases, there are complications such as bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia and also encephalitis, which occurs in about one to two out of 1000 measles cases and can lead to permanent damage.
Even more feared is a typical late manifestation months to years after a past measles infection, an inflammation of the brain (SSPE), which is fatal.
Source: Nachrichten
