Health minister Florian Bodog announced on Thursday that the measles death toll has climbed to 25 after a 2-year-old unvaccinated child from Bihor county died.

According to the minister, the case was confirmed after tests done at the Cantacuzino Institute, reports local Agerpres.

Recent data from the National Center for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases showed that almost 5,300 cases of measles have been registered in Romania since the outbreak of the epidemic, in September 2016. Moreover, in over 5,100 cases, the people were not vaccinated.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus. It causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and runny nose. According to information posted on the World Health Organization’s website, the virus is highly contagious, spreading by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, and direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. Unvaccinated young children pose the highest risk of measles and its complications, including death.

In early-April, the World Health Organization asked Romania and other countries where the endemic transmission of measles has not been interrupted to take urgent measures to stop this spread.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com