The number of confirmed cases has increased to 13.
Director of the Dubrovnik General Hospital Marijo Bekić said on Thursday morning in Dubrovnik that the thirteenth case of measles had been confirmed and that additional two persons had been hospitalized under suspicion of measles, but added that there was no reason for alarm, reports tportal.hr on June 14, 2018.
Bekić pointed out that there was no increase in the daily number of new patients, adding that the rate was about one to two new patients a day. “We are carrying out epidemiological measures with a view of increasing the collective immunity,” Bekić said.
The first patient with measles in the Dubrovnik area was a man from Ston, who was hospitalized on May 25 at the Dubrovnik General Hospital and later released.
Head of the Department of Infectology at the Dubrovnik General Hospital Stjepan Đuričić pointed out that measles is suspected in all patients with increased body temperature, cough, eye redness, a rash which spreads behind the ears, on the forehead and the neck towards the abdomen and the extremities.
“If you suspect that you have measles, the recommendation is to contact your doctor or paediatrician by phone and share this information. They will then tell you whether you should go to the Department of Infectology. This will reduce the pressure and the crowds in primary care doctors’ offices and emergency rooms,” said Đuričić.
Director of County Public Health Institute Mato Lakić said it was necessary to further vaccinate the population in order to stop the spread of the disease. “Our population is poorly vaccinated, which is conducive to spreading the disease, and vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent the epidemic. We call on all parents to immediately bring in all the unvaccinated children who can be vaccinated, as well as all unprotected health workers and people employed in kindergartens,” Lakić said.
Unvaccinated children have been banned from all kindergartens in the county, in order to prevent the disease to be spread.
The General Hospital in Dubrovnik has asked all those with suspected measles who come to the hospital to enter the building through the back entrance.
Translated from tportal.hr.
