The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC has been evaluating the risk that the current measles outbreak in Romania would spread to the EU, and says the likelihood of exportation of measles cases from the country is high.

“Considering the size and geographical spread of the ongoing measles outbreak in Romania, the likelihood of exportation of measles cases is high,” the ECDC said.

“Previous and ongoing measles outbreaks in three other EU countries have been epidemiologically-linked to the current outbreak in Romania, however further investigations are needed to gain more insights into the epidemiological links,” the ECDC also said.

From the end of September 2016 to mid February 2017, the Romanian National Institute of Public Health received reports of 3,071 cases of measles, the ECDC said. The outbreak came as many parents failed or refused to vaccinate their children.

The highest incidence of measles cases has been registered in South-Western Romania, in Caras-Severin, Arad, and Timis counties, where more than 1,900 cases were registered. Most of the cases have been registered in poor Roma communities.

Romania has lowered the age for the first vaccine dose from the usual 12 months to nine months and recommended that all children up to nine years of age are vaccinated to limit the outbreak.

Measles outbreak in Romania spreads to Belgium

editor@romania-insider.com