The Ministry of Health and Environment is appealing to parents or guardians who have children between one and 18 years to ensure that they are fully immunised, in the wake of an imported case of measles.At the same time, the health ministry is making contact with persons who were on the flight with the infected child who arrived on the island from Europe, with a view to conducting fever and rash surveillance.
The health ministry said children who have never been immunised or have had just one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, need to be immunised immediately.
Parents or guardians are being advised to visit the nearest health centre or health practitioner and to take the child's immunisation card. With the recently imported case of measles, the ministry says it is on high alert and is taking immediate action to prevent spread.
Classification
Dr Marion Bullock-DuCasse, director of emergency services in the Ministry of Health and Environment, told The Gleaner yesterday that the one imported case of measles was usually classified as an outbreak in countries such as Jamaica, where measles has been eliminated.
Bullock-DuCasse said the health ministry was interviewing all contacts to determine their immediate status.
The Ministry of Health and Environment says it will be at four locations in the Corporate Area today to conduct fever and rash surveillance and administer the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine to persons who are not fully immunised.
In a release yesterday, the health ministry said parents or guardians who have children between the ages of one and six years of age are strongly advised to take their children along, as well as their immunisation cards.
The locations are:
Mary Issa Health Centre/Vouch Clinic - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
St Matthews Church, Almond Town - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Glen Vincent Health Centre - 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Coronation Market - 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The ministry said people who visited Mary Issa/Vouch Clinic or Glen Vincent on May 9 and have not been contacted by the health department are strongly encouraged to revisit the respective health centre today.
