Measles in North Dublin City

The Department of Public Health HSE-East, has been notified of 2 confirmed cases of measles in North Dublin City.  An Outbreak Control Team has been convened to investigate and control the spread of this potentially serious illness.  The source of measles has not yet been identified.  An alert has been sent to all Emergency Departments and General Practitioners (GPs) in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.  All people identified as contacts of the 2 measles cases are being notified and advised of the risk by Public Health.

The best protection against measles is to be fully vaccinated with 2 doses of the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine.

If you have symptoms suggestive of measles you should stay at home, not go to school or work and phone your GP and explain that you may have measles. People who have not been fully vaccinated with MMR vaccine or have not had measles in the past are at high risk of getting measles if exposed. Those most at risk of catching measles are those who are not fully vaccinated with 2 doses of MMR vaccine such as babies younger than 12 months who are too young to be vaccinated, and those with weakened immune systems.  

Dr Deirdre Mulholland, Director of Public Health said “measles can be a serious illness and is highly contagious. The best protection is to be fully vaccinated with 2 doses of MMR vaccine.”

More about measles Measles is highly contagious and is spread easily.  The time between exposure to measles and developing the rash is usually 14 days (range 7-21 days). People are infectious from 4 days before rash starts until 4 days after.

Measles symptoms include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red eyes
• Red rash that starts on head and spread down the body- this normally starts a few days after onset of illness. The rash consists of flat red or brown blotches, which can flow into each other. It lasts about 4-7 days. • Vomiting, diarrhoea and tummy pain may also happen.

Prevent measles with the MMR vaccine 

• All children should get MMR at 12 months of age and the second dose at 4-5 years of age.
• If your child missed their scheduled MMR vaccine dose you should contact your GP to get the age appropriate dose.
• If you are an adult born since 1978 and have not received 2 doses of MMR you should contact your GP to get the MMR vaccine.

Anyone who develops measles symptoms should: 

• Stay at home and phone your GP
• Tell the doctor or nurse that you think you might have measles
• Stop visitors coming to the house to prevent spreading the infection Measles is a notifiable disease and GPs and hospital clinicians should immediately notify public health if they suspect someone has measles.

More information on measles is located here http://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/vaccinepreventable/measles/factsheet/