Measles

The National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Bulgaria has confirmed the country's first case of measles, sparking concerns about potential outbreaks. The case, originating in Sofia, was identified at the end of last week by the national reference laboratory for measles, mumps, and rubella.

Vaccine skepticism is expected to have an adverse impact on the country's overall inoculation program and public health, warned Sotiris Tsiodras, the head of the Hellenic Society for Infectious Diseases. 

Against the backdrop of the outbreak of measles in Europe, the Hellenic National Public Health Organization has urged members of the public to check that they are vaccinated against the illness.

The latest measles outbreak occurred in Greece in 2017-2018 with more than 3,200 cases and four deaths.

As global health authorities sound the alarm over the resurgence of measles worldwide, Bulgaria stands out with a reassuring statistic: no confirmed cases of measles have been reported in the country since the beginning of the year.

An adult who contracted measles has died in hospital in Ireland, the country's Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.

Health authorities are keeping a close eye on the recent cases of measles in the country among adults, amid outbreaks in Romania, France, the UK and Austria.

According to Alternate Health Minister Eirini Agapidaki, there are a total of five reported cases, one in Thessaloniki and four in Hania, Crete.

The Health Ministry has set up a task force to increase the number of people getting vaccinated against measles, and is preparing an information and vaccination campaign in regions with low inoculation rates, following an outbreak in Romania, and other European countries.

The National Organization for Public Health (EODY) in Greece is preparing a plan to prevent a potential measles epidemic through targeted vaccinations.

While Greece hasn't reported measles cases recently, concerns arise due to a European surge in 2023 and a historical pattern every 5-6 years.

Serbian epidemiologists warn that, due to the decreasing number of vaccinated children, it is a matter of days when we will have another epidemic in Serbia.
According to the WHO, more than 42,000 infected people were registered in Europe in 2023, while there were 941 a year earlier, which is why they requested urgent measures to prevent further spread.