Measles

Health authority of Queensland has issued a measles alert. A student from Brisbane's west was infected with measles after returning from an overseas trip. The student went to several locations before developing rash.

These locations include:

· Brisbane airport's domestic terminal on Wednesday, July 15. He was a passenger on Qantas flight QF524 from Sydney.

· University of Queensland, St Lucia between Thursday, July 16 and Saturday, July 18

· Indooroopilly Shopping Centre on July 16 and 17

Dr. James Smith, a public health physician, mentioned that people who had come in contact with the patient or visited the areas during that period should be aware of the symptoms and speak to their GP if they are unsure of their immunity against measles.

Online reference:

Brisbane Times, 2015. Measles alert in Brisbane’s west. [online] Available at: <http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/measles-alert-in-brisbanes-west-20150722-giidci.html> [Accessed 26 July 2015].

Picture reference:

[Measles child] n.d. [image online] Available at: <http://www.healthline.com/hlcmsresource/images/Image-Galleries/Measles/measles_child.jpg> [Accessed 26 July 2015].

The first two deaths were recorded in Benakuma some weeks ago and there have been seven more deaths recorded on 10 July 2015, increasing the number of deaths to nine in Benakuma Health District in Menchum Division.

A health team has been stationed to conduct a mini-vaccination campaign in eight villages in Benakuma Health District, vaccinating children from nine months against measles. Health authorities assured that the situation in Benakuma Health District is under control.

Online reference:

AllAfrica, 2015. Cameroon: Nine Dead in Measles Outbreak. [online] Available at: <http://allafrica.com/stories/201507211438.html> [Accessed 26 July 2015].

Picture reference:

[Cameroon map] n.d. [image online] Available at: <http://www.operationworld.org/files/ow/maps/lgmap/came-MMAP-md.png> [Accessed 26 July 2015].

Adding on to the 51 cases of measles in Birao, there were three more new cases reported in the first week of July. United Nations Humanitarian Air Service serve to increase supplies to patients and also to relieve the pressure faced by medical personnel. The International Medical Corps is arranging additional resources to treat the outbreak in Central African Republic.

Online reference:

Vaccine news daily, 2015. Measles continues to spread in Central African Republic. [online] Available at: <http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/stories/510626293-measles-continues-to-spread-in-central-african-republic> [Accessed 11 July 2015].

A woman who died of measles in the U.S. since 2003 had been vaccinated. She was on medications for other health conditions that contributed to her immunocompromised system. An autopsy report concluded pneumonia due to measles as the cause of death.

The woman's death was not related to the Disneyland outbreak in California.She was hospitalized for several health conditions at a facility in Clallam County and was exposed to a person who was infected with measles.

Online references:

BBC, 2015. Measles: First death in 12 years reported in Washington state. [online] Available at: <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33373466> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Daily Mail, 2015. Woman who died of measles WAS vaccinated: First patient to die of disease in U.S. for 12 years succumbed to disease because of other health problems. [online] Available at: <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3148872/Woman-died-measles-vaccinated-patient-die-disease-U-S-12-years-succumbed-disease-health-problems.html> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Video reference:

Associated Press, 2015. First Measles Death in 12 Years Confirmed in US. [video online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emfA_499yEg> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

WHO made progress towards eliminating measles in South East Asia by 2020.

Total incident related to measles decreased by 73%, while estimated deaths related to measles declined by 63% in the region. In all 11 countries, suspected measles cases are confirmed in laboratory surveillance and collected data are monitored by WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Office.

Online reference:

Healio, 2015. WHO measles eradication effort progressed in South-East Asia. [online] Available at: <http://www.healio.com/pediatrics/vaccine-preventable-diseases/news/online/%7B710c4059-cb24-496e-a043-e994e07430f2%7D/who-measles-eradication-effort-progresses-in-south-east-asia> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

In 2015, the CDC reported 178 cases in 21 U.S. states. 5 outbreaks accounted for 87% of the cases and one large outbreak in Anaheim, California with at least 100 cases.

CDC scientists analysed that the measles virus type in the Disneyland outbreak in California was identical to the virus type that caused the large measles outbreak in the Philippines.

Online reference:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015. Measles Cases and Outbreaks. [online] Available at: <http://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Picture reference:

[Measles Cases and Outbreaks During 2015] n.d. [image online] Available at: <http://www.cdc.gov/measles/images/measles-cases-616px.png> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Herd immunity plays an important role for the medically frail (elderly) and those who cannot get the vaccine (babies and pregnant women). People who are vaccinated form a ‘barrier’ around the vulnerable, preventing the spread of disease. However, the ‘barrier’ was weakened (too many people were unvaccinated), causing the spread of measles at Disneyland.

Online reference:
Vox Media, 2015. The scariest fact about the Disneyland measles outbreak. [online] Available at: <http://www.vox.com/2015/1/23/7877321/measles-outbreak-scary-disneyland> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Picture references:

[Disney vaccine] n.d. [image online] Available at: <http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/files/2015/01/disneyvaccine.jpeg> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

[Herd immunity] n.d. [image online] Available at: <https://emssolutionsinc.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/vaccine_no-vaccine.jpg> [Accessed 5 July 2015].

Measles

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