Massive Measles Outbreak in Wales

Health | Tue, May 19, 2009 at 10:12:26 am PDT

The anti-vaccination insanity is starting to take a fatal toll across the pond as well: Measles outbreak ‘worst in years’.

Health chiefs in Wales are dealing with a “massive” measles outbreak, with numbers already four times the highest figure recorded over the past 13 years.

Four nursery school children were treated in hospital as part of 127 cases across mid and west Wales, while there are another 35 cases in Conwy. The National Public Health Service (NPHS) in Wales saw 39 cases last year. Its highest figure in 2003 was 44.

Officials appealed for parents to take up the MMR vaccine. Dr Mac Walapu, consultant in communicable disease control for the NPHS, said: “For as long as there are children who do not receive their MMR vaccinations, there is the potential for outbreaks of measles to happen and we would remind anyone in Wales, and not just in the affected area.”

A spokeswoman added: “We need to be up front with parents.”

She added: “We try not to be too scary when we talk to people about this, but children die of measles and children are impaired by measles. It puts children in hospital. The reality it is that this is happening now, in Wales. Measles is very contagious.”