Health authorities are on high alert as a global increase in the number of measles cases is causing concern.
Measles is best known as childhood infection and is caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine. Vaccinations also decreased the likelihood of the most severe outcome of the disease, death.
While childhood vaccinations are mandatory in most countries as a requirement for enrollment in school, loopholes have seen a fall off in vaccination against this and other preventable childhood illnesses in some countries. This has created the perfect storm for a resurgence of the potentially deadly disease.
While the Caribbean sub-region was the first area in the world to have eliminated measles in 1991, some islands experienced imported cases of measles between 1991 and 2019. This trend is expected to continue.
“On May 10, 2024, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) reported two (2) laboratory confirmed cases of measles despite having a national measles vaccination coverage rate of 95 percent. This coverage rate is similar to that of St. Kitts and Nevis” said a statement issued by the office of the Chief Medical Officer on Tuesday.
“It must be highlighted that currently, there are prolonged measles outbreaks occurring in the United Kingdom, United States of America, and other health regions globally. The Federation, like other member states, is at increasing risk of importation of the virus from countries in our tourism source markets where the virus continues to circulate,” the statement continued.
Vaccine hesitancy following the COVID-19 pandemic, and disruptions in routine vaccination programmes post-COVID have played a significant role in the comeback of the disease.
With the St. Kitts Music Festival just weeks away and Nevis’ Culturama occurring shortly after, authorities are on high alert. They are also urging the public to take every precaution to prevent contracting the highly contagious disease. A large part of this is being aware of the symptoms associated with the disease.
“[Measles] is spread by airborne droplets or via direct contact with secretions from the nose, mouth, and throat of infected individuals. The incubation period which is the period between exposure to the virus and the onset of the first symptoms is approximately 10 to 12 days.
“The symptoms include high fever, generalised rash all over the body, stuffy nose, and reddened eyes. The characteristic rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading, and usually consists of raised, non-itchy spots that eventually evolve into blotchy patches. The Kolpik spots are peculiar spots located on the mucosal surfaces inside the mouth and are considered to be diagnostic of measles.
“Infected persons are infectious starting from four days before the appearance of the rash and infectiousness persists for about four days post-rash onset,” the statement cautioned.
Measles can cause serious complications, including severe diarrhoea, ear infections, pneumonia, blindness, encephalitis or swelling of the brain, and even death particularly in children with nutritional problems, and who are immunocompromised.
According to the Chief Medical Officer’s statement, “The Ministry of Health is being proactive in augmenting its expanded program on immunisation (EPI) by scaling up its vaccine outreach initiatives. The aim is to reach all the unvaccinated children in order to increase our vaccination coverage rate.
“We also will target frontline workers to encourage them to check their measles vaccination status. The aim is to have high-risk individuals check their immunisation cards, contact their respective health centres to verify their immunisation status, and accept the measles vaccine if needed.”
The vaccine for measles consists of a dose which actually protects against mumps and rubella as well and is known as MMR which the ministry has confirmed is safe.
The current MMR vaccine has been available since 1971 and is the gold standard for preventing each of the three diseases it provides protection against.
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