Manuel Pizarro says there is no suspicion of measles infection

The Minister of Health said this Sunday that there is no suspicion of contagion from an imported case of measles in the Lisbon region and that the General Directorate of Health is identifying people who had contact with the child.

“There is no suspicion of infection, but the Directorate General of Health (DGS) is working, as it should, very carefully to identify all people who have had contact to ensure that these people know if this happens. or that clinical symptom that should alert the health system to this risk,” said Health Minister Manuel Pizarro.

The minister, speaking to reporters during the inauguration of a new pediatric emergency department at the local health unit of São João in Porto, stressed that this is “a warning to parents who think they are hesitant to get vaccinated.”

“Fortunately, the Portuguese are Europeans who still strongly believe in vaccines. We have a very high level of vaccination of children,” he said.

The case of measles was diagnosed in a 20-month-old child, who does not reside in Portugal and has not been vaccinated, who is hospitalized and “clinically stable and expected to be discharged in the coming days,” the DGS said on Thursday. Saturday in a statement.

Manuel Pizarro stressed that vaccination “should be seen as a right,” but “there can be no doubt about confidence in the vaccine.”

“We must continue our work to educate people about the importance of vaccination,” he added.

Since the notification of the case on January 10 and its laboratory confirmation by the National Institute of Health Ricardo Jorge (INSA), “the GDS and the network of health authorities, in collaboration with INSA and health professionals, are monitoring developments. situation in accordance with the provisions of the National Measles Elimination Program,” the statement said.

“This case of imported measles highlights the importance of maintaining high levels of vaccination coverage, so the DGS is reinforcing the call for the importance of vaccination in accordance with the National Vaccination Programme,” which provides two doses for children and adults born after 1970. .

The measles virus is spread by direct contact, respiratory droplets, or droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and patients are considered infectious from four days before to four days after the rash appears.

Symptoms of the disease usually appear 10 to 12 days after infection and usually begin with fever, rash (which spreads from the head to the torso and lower extremities), cough, conjunctivitis and runny nose.

“If you have been in contact with someone suspected of having measles and you have questions [ou] If you have symptoms indicating measles, avoid contact with other people and call the SNS 24 line,” the General Directorate of Health also urged.