Warning after measles cases

TWO cases of measles have been reported in children in the Gwent area, with patients who may have been exposed to the virus urged to look out for warning signs.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said both patients are receiving appropriate care, and no outbreak had been declared.

It is understood at least one of the patients attended the Grange Hospital, in Cwmbran.

PHW said parents or guardians of children who attended the Children’s Emergency Assessment Unit (CEAU) at the Grange Hospital over the Easter weekend would be contacted by text message to inform them they might be contacts of a measles case.

Anyone who is identified as a contact and is unimmunised will be asked to stay away from nursery, school or childcare settings for two weeks.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects children, although adults can also contract it. It’s caused by the measles virus and can lead to serious complications if left untreated.

Currently, the UK and Europe are facing unusually large outbreaks of measles – from under 1,000 cases in 2022 to over 30,000 cases last year, according to the World Health Organisation.

The two cases in the Gwent area come as the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed a resurgence of measles cases in England. From January 1 to December 31, 2023, there were 368 laboratoryconfirmed measles cases in England. Public Health Scotland has also had five cases of laboratoryconfirmed measles in Scotland since October 2023.

An outbreak of measles in Cardiff was concluded in January and included eight linked cases.