The Slovenian National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) yesterday announced a case of measles in a child who had returned from a trip from Serbia prior to the holidays.
The child had been vaccinated, although with only one shot which, as explained by the National Institute of Public Health, does not guarantee complete protection. There were about 700 cases of measles recorded in Serbia in 2017, and at the end of the year a 20-year-old man died at the Belgrade Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases due to complications of such an infection.
The NIJZ strongly advices all those who have been on holiday abroad, especially in areas where measles is currently a concern, to inform their doctor if they happen to notice the typical signs of this illness, such as fever, inflammation of the eyes, coughing and a reddish rash. If you have these symptoms then it is vital to stay at home and not go to a waiting room and possibly spread the disease. If measles is suspected, inform your doctor by telephone first, then follow his or her instructions.
The Ministry of Health warns that the if more cases of this infection are found in Slovenia then it could quickly become an epidemic, as the vaccination rate against measles has fallen below 95%, which, according to experts, is the lowest level that would provide collective security against the spread of this infectious disease. The lowest incidences of vaccination are found in Ljubljana and Koper.
