In a follow-up on the large measles outbreak in Romania, the National Center for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases (computer translated) puts the outbreak case count at 6,434 confirmed cases since last September.
The number of measles-related fatalities are confirmed at 26, with a 27th possible death still being investigated in Dolj. The breakdown of measles deaths by county are as follows: Timis (8), Arad (5), Dolj (5), Caras Severin (3), and one each in Bihar, Calarasi, Satu Mare, Vaslui and Bucharest.
Measles vaccination status is at the heart of the epidemic problem in Romania. According to a Digi 24 report (computer translated), 7 percent of parents refused vaccination, and one in three families are unable to reach the doctor or get the vaccine.
In the past 10 years, the immunization rate in Romania has dropped from 95 percent to 86 percent, and for some diseases like measles, only half the population is vaccinated in certain counties.
Romanian authorities have started a pro-vaccination and immunization program allocated the highest amount to date: 153 EUR.
Alexandru Rafila President Romanian Society for Microbiology: “In several counties, especially those in the west, where the epidemic is evolving the fastest, vaccination coverage is only about 50%. It is very worrying. There is interest, now we need to solve other issues that may be bureaucratic public procurement legislation needs to be improved “.
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