Health officials in Portugal reported two confirmed cases of measles and are telling the public not to be alarmed, according to a Publico news report (computer translated).
The cases involve a person who has recently come from Venezuela and an 11-month-old baby who is not yet old enough to be vaccinated.
Health officials say they are two isolated situations with no temporal relation between them.
Deputy Director-General for Health, Graça Freitas stresses that this is not an outbreak, at least for now in Portugal, contrary to what is happening in several European countries.
The report notes that measles was declared eliminated in Portugal last year.
Nevertheless, health officials are asking people who do not have the measles vaccine to be immunized.
“Eliminated does not mean that Portugal can not have cases from other countries. It is normal for Portugal to have isolated cases, ” emphasizes Graça Freitas.
The vaccination coverage rate in Portugal is high, ranging from 95 to 97 percent.
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