Since January 19, 25 cases of measles have been detected in the Rhône, BFMTV reported on Monday, March 11. According to the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional health agency, this would be the “start of a local epidemic”.
As of March 8, 25 cases of measles had been detected in the Rhône, BFMTV Lyon reported on Monday, March 11. The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency (ARS) clarified that the department “Currently at the beginning of an endemic epidemic”And it had reached the epidemic threshold for this disease.
Thus, on January 19, the first case of measles was declared. Since then, cases have appeared in several towns in the Lyon metropolitan area: Saint-Priest, Maizieu, Dessins-Charpieu, Bron, Vaux-en-Valin and Chasseu, local media reported. According to the latter, most patients were not vaccinated or had only one dose of the vaccine, compared to two for the full vaccination schedule. However, some of them received their two injections.
Measles cases are increasing worldwide
According to the ARS, the region has seen three outbreaks of measles since September 2023: one in the Rhône, one in the Ardèche and another in the Drôme. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on February 20 of the rapid spread of the disease worldwide, with more than 306,000 cases reported last year, a jump of 79% in a year. In Europe, there is a 45-fold increase in measles cases between 2022 and 2023, she said.
Measles prevention requires that 95% of children receive two doses of the vaccine against the disease. However, globally, according to WHO, vaccination coverage is 83%. On 28 February, the ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes recommended “I urge all people born after 1980 to check their vaccination status and be vigilant in case of suggestive symptoms”BFMTV suggested.
Published at 2:25 pm on March 11, Guillaume Dosda, 6Medias
