According to a report from the General Directorate of Health (GDH), two new cases of measles were detected in the Central region, raising the number of cases to 27 since January.
“Between 1 January 2024 and 5 May 2024, 27 cases of measles were confirmed in Portugal out of a total of 182 suspected cases reported,” says the DGS bulletin “Measles epidemic activity in Portugal in 2024.”
Of the total measles cases reported to date, 155 cases have been excluded, according to the DGS.
The majority of cases were reported in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, where 14 cases were confirmed, followed by the Northern Region with eight, the Central Region with four and the Autonomous Region of Madeira with one case.
The first confirmed case was a 20-month-old child who did not live in Portugal and was not vaccinated.
As part of its measles surveillance activities, the GGD emphasizes the importance of immediate notification of suspected cases on the IT platform supporting the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE).
The DGS also warns of the importance of measles vaccination in line with the National Vaccination Programme, which recommends two doses for children and adults born after 1970.