An outbreak of measles in Tenerife is believed to have started with a young British boy. The Spanish health ministry has confirmed the outbreak and stated that one of the four individuals infected with the highly contagious virus needed hospitalization. The source of the outbreak is reportedly the British child, who spent a brief holiday on the Spanish island.
Upon the boy’s return to the UK, his illness was diagnosed, as confirmed by the Spanish health ministry on Tuesday. The other three cases linked to the initial one are believed to have had some form of contact with each other.
According to reports from canariasahora, none of the infected individuals, aged between 45 and 55, had been vaccinated against measles. Spanish authorities are now working to contain the spread of the virus and are conducting follow-up investigations with potentially exposed contacts.
Approximately 95% of the Canary Islands population has been fully vaccinated against measles in infancy. While the UK had previously eradicated measles in 2016, recent developments led the World Health Organization (WHO) to revoke the country’s measles elimination status in January this year due to increasing cases and declining vaccination rates.
The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is recommended for individuals born on or before December 31, 2019, who missed the vaccine earlier in life. The vaccine typically consists of two doses to ensure long-term protection against the serious complications that can arise from these infections, such as meningitis, blindness, and hearing loss.
Most individuals can receive the MMR vaccine, except for specific groups like pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems, and individuals with severe vaccine allergies.
Measles cases in the UK have been on the rise, with 182 cases reported in May compared to 106 in January. Recent data as of June 11 indicates eight confirmed cases this month, predominantly affecting children aged 10 and under, with a significant portion in London.
The Mirror has reached out to the Spanish health ministry for comments on the situation.
