Czech registers 182 cases of measles this year

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, December 17, 2018
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PRAGUE, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 182 cases of measles have been registered in the Czech Republic by Dec. 4 this year, up about one-fourth from the 142 cases in 2017, latest data published by the Czech Health Institute (SZU) showed.

Experts warn that a number of unvaccinated children were among the patients, though vaccination against measles is obligatory in the country. According to Prague sanitary station, more than 20 children who had not been vaccinated were among those suffering from measles in the capital city this year.

The measles cases rose considerably in the Czech Republic last year, from 7 cases in 2016 to 142 a year later. This year the figure this year has been the highest in the past four years.

The epidemic is not only in the Czech Republic, but also reported in other European countries. Roman Prymula, head of the Czech Vaccination Association, said in May that patients from abroad had brought the epidemic to the country.

Doctor Katerina Fabianova from the SZU's infectious diseases epidemiology ward said one of the main factors influencing this situation is the negative attitude of the population towards vaccination and especially measles vaccination, which is considerably influenced by anti-vaccination campaigns.

Czech has applied the measles vaccine since 1969 and no death caused by measles has been registered since 1980. About 50,000 cases of measles were registered in the country a year before the vaccination started. Enditem

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