Eleven possible cases of measles have been reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in its weekly Infectious Disease Report, which was published online today.
It covers the week up to Saturday, 17 February, and the 11 cases are subject to confirmation through laboratory testing.
Five of the possible cases are in children under four years of age, four are in children aged between five and nine years and one was in a child aged 10 to 14. The age of one patient was recorded as unknown.
Four of the possible cases are in the HSE southeast area which covers counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.
Three were recorded in the northeast, two in HSE east and one case was recorded in both the south and the west of the country.
Only one case of measles has been confirmed this year in Ireland after a man died in the Dublin and Midlands Health Region earlier this month.
The HSE is continuing to encourage people here to be aware of the signs of measles.
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness. Measles starts with cold-like symptoms that develop about 10 days after you get infected. You will then get a measles rash a few days later. The illness usually lasts 7 to 10 days.
For more information on symptoms, how to treat… pic.twitter.com/7GZMV8TZ4w
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) February 21, 2024
The new report comes as the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland yesterday confirmed that a case of measles has been diagnosed there for the first time in seven years.
The PHA said close contacts have been notified and all appropriate public health actions are being undertaken.
It is urging children and young adults who have not received both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to do so.
The agency recently activated a mass vaccination drive in collaboration with health trusts and GP surgeries for all those aged between 12 months and 25 years who missed getting one or both of their MMR vaccines first time round.
