Ireland Measles: Adult Dies in Hospital after Contracting Disease

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

It is the first confirmed measles case in Ireland this year.

There were four measles cases in 2023, two in 2022, none in 2021, and five in 2020, with no deaths reported in any of those years, according to the HSE.

It comes as health officials across Europe and the UK warn of rising cases amid falling vaccination rates.

The adult died in a hospital in the Dublin and Midlands health region, which covers the Leinster province. The HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has been notified.

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Ireland's Chief Medical Officer Professor Breda Smyth said she was "very concerned" there was a "high risk" of a measles outbreak in the country and urged people to take up the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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Measles is a highly contagious disease, which is spread by coughs and sneezes and can be serious at any age.

It often starts with a high fever and a rash, which normally clears up within 10 days - but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. » | James Gregory, BBC News | Thursday, February 8, 2024