ARS has reported 25 cases of measles in eastern Lyon since late January. © Marina Demidiuk / iStock
Since January 22, eastern Lyon has reported 25 cases of measles, mainly among children. The resurgence of the virus after several years of quiescence is closely monitored by health officials in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Inactive since the spring of 2018 and the emergence of Covid-19, which led to the strengthening of successive confinement and barrier indications, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has been experiencing a resurgence of measles for several months. After the discovery of contamination outbreaks in Drôme and Ardèche since September 2023, the regional health agency (ARS) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has warned of the beginning of an epidemic in eastern Lyon.
Till date, 25 cases have been reported since January 22 and the last contamination was reported on March 8. “they (cases, editor’s note) The numbers may seem small, but they still present a significant threat, because the measles virus is so easily transmitted. It is customary to say that one person can infect 20 people.“, warns Dr Bruno Morel, Deputy Director in charge of Surveillance and Health Alerts within the ARS.
22 children out of 25 cases
Most of the cases reported in the municipalities of Dessins, Maizieu, Bron and Saint-Priest related to children. According to ARS, 22 of the 25 confirmed cases to date have appeared in three schools and one daycare. About ten of these cases, occurring in a private school group in Dessins, are believed to be linked to child contamination during a trip to the United Arab Emirates. According to the ARS, the other cases reported in a public school in Meziou, a private college in Dessins, a daycare center in Saint-Priest and in Bron are not related to the first outbreaks. which confirms the hypothesis of a localized outbreak for the regional health agency.
What symptoms?
The first symptoms usually appear 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. They can be characterized by high fever up to 39-40 °C, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and more commonly general fatigue. A few days after these first symptoms, small red spots may appear on the ears, forehead and cheeks before spreading to other parts of the body. This lasts on average for a week.
Of the 22 infected children, seven are 13 months old or younger, two are three years old, and 13 are between 6 and 17 years old. To these defilements we must also add three adults between the ages of 25 and 43. While the last measles death recorded in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region was in 2011 and a schoolgirl in Haute-Savoie, the ARS specifies that these 25 infections led to seven hospitalizations, including “5 children under 1 year”, three of whom were suffering from measles pneumonia. In case of contracting measles “The frequency of complications is high and can be serious.Recommends Christine Saura, Public Health Manager in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Effective vaccination “95%”
Above all, local health officials are worried about further spread of the disease. “This situation worries us because of the potential for expansion” gives credence to Bruno Morel, while for his part, Philippe Guettet, departmental director of the ARS in the metropolis of Rhône and Lyon, explains that “The spread of the epidemic will not stop at divisional borders”. In this context, “ARS acted quickly by providing targeted information to health professionals and national education“, assures Philippe Guettat, who also clarified that he himself contacted the mayors of the municipalities concerned, to make them aware of the problem and the preventive measures implemented to prevent the epidemic.
The first of these is “Vaccination“, Bruno Morel insists.”Immunization is our basis for action, without it we cannot win the fight against measles“, referring to this doctor. Especially to listen to Christine Saurey.”The effectiveness of the vaccine is about 95% and severe forms are very rare in these people“However, at this stage the ARS is not considering opening vaccination centers against measles, as may be the case to limit the spread of Covid-19.”Our first idea is to build on the existing vaccination offer“, explains Bruno Morel. As proposed by treating doctors and pharmacists.
Mandatory vaccination for children from 2018
Parents are therefore invited to check the vaccination status of their children and vaccinate them if they are not. As a reminder, the measles vaccine requires two doses 4 months apart and has been mandatory for children since 2018. The first dose can be given to the youngest at 12 months and the second around 16 to 18 months.
The virus can also be transmitted by adults, as shown by the three cases detected in the Rhône since January 22 among adults, ARS invites all people born after 1980 to ensure their own vaccination. This must be shown in your vaccination record under the names Rouvax, Rudi-Rouvax, MMR, Trimovax, MMR Vas, Priorix and MMR Vax Pro. According to the ARS, people born before 1980 “There is a high probability of contracting the disease and having immunity“, because before that time measles virus was circulating a lot.
