Mexican health officials are reporting (computer translated) three imported measles cases in Mexico City during the last half of March.
The cases include a 39-year-old Italian woman who works at the Italian Embassy in Mexico, her unvaccinated infant (due to the age) and a 48-year-old caretaker of the child. All three were confirmed by the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference and are currently without symptoms. It is suspected that the Italian woman may have contracted from a infected Italian citizen.
In order to search for probable cases and complete vaccination schemes, the Federal Ministry of Health and Health Services of Mexico City deployed an operation that consisted of walking 50 blocks in the three branches of risk of occurrence of cases (Benito Juárez, Coyoacán and Tlalpan), where 1,939 houses were visited and 1,853 people interviewed.
In addition, 44 doses of Triple Viral vaccine were applied to children from 1 to 4 years of age and 496 doses of Measles-Rubella to the group of 13 to 39 years. In addition, 337 contacts were followed daily in the cases, in homes, work places, and educational and health institutions.
How contagious is measles? Answer: Very
Since 1996, there have been no autochthonous, or locally acquired cases of measles in Mexico. Between 1997 and 2017, only 176 cases of measles have been registered, all, according to Pablo Kuri Morales, undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion of the Ssa, imported or associated with imports, as in the case of the Italian citizen.
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Related:
Measles: The ABCs of this very contagious viral disease
Vaccines: How they work and some common misconceptions
U.S. Embassy Manila issues health alert: Measles in the Philippines
