Measles outbreak in Bavaria: Schools and Festival on alert will!

Measles outbreak in Bavaria: Schools and Festival on alert will!

Waldkraiburg, Deutschland - In Bavaria there are currently worrying reports about measles cases that affect both schools and events. In Waldkraiburg, Upper Bavaria, a measles case was registered with a student of a junior high school. The student was identified as a contact person and remains at home for the time being while his parents were notified. However, the tracking of further contacts is difficult, which is due to the specialist room principle at school. The health department has already started measures to prevent any contagious in the district. There is the possibility that further cases will occur.

The population is urgently asked to check their vaccination protection against measles. Symptoms of measles, which usually start with fever, cough, runny nose and eye conjunctivation, should always be reported in advance by a medical consultation. With a typical rash that appears later, which appears a few days after the first symptoms, it is a brownish-gray-colored stain. An incubation period of 10 to 14 days can be expected here, but at a maximum of up to three weeks.

measles cases after a visit to the festival

The message of six measles cases is particularly alarming, which are due to a visit to an international festival in Jandelsbrunn/Zielberg. The people concerned took part in the event in early May or are in contact with the festival visitors. The highly contagious nature of the measles is emphasized by the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety. The disease not only endangers those affected themselves, but also weakens the immune system, which can lead to other diseases such as pneumonia or medium ear infections.

unvaccinated people have almost no chance of escaping an infection. Double vaccination against measles, on the other hand, offers safe protection against the disease. Serious complications such as intellectual disabilities or paralysis are also possible, which is why the medical world urgently advises vaccination. Also the State Office for Health indicates that measles are often incorrectly perceived as harmless childhood disease, but can also significantly endanger adults.

global and national developments

Measles worldwide represent a leading cause of death in children. According to Destatis there were about 136,000 deaths from measles. In Germany, the WHO recorded a total of 79 cases in 2023. The increase in infection figures since 2023, with 127,350 cases in Europe - has been particularly worrying - the highest number in over 25 years. Children under the age of five were affected in 40 percent of the cases. The vaccination rate in Germany is currently 93 percent for the second dose, but this is below the necessary value of 95 percent to prevent distribution.

The current measles cases in Bavaria are a serious wake -up call for the population to check and ensure personal vaccination protection in order to prevent the spread of this dangerous illness