Measles after Mario Bath show

Bad Segeberg: Three patients due to measles in the clinic

08/04/2014

Since the weekend, three adult patients have been treated for measles in the hospital in Bad Segeberg, Schleswig-Holstein. At least 20 people who had contact with them were invited to stay at home. But it could also be more, it said from the health department.

Patients came to the clinic with flu-like symptoms
Since the weekend, three adult patients have been treated for measles in Bad Segeberg, Schleswig-Holstein. According to data provided by a spokesman for Segeberger Kliniken, they had been delivered on Friday. Those affected suffered from flu-like symptoms and were immediately isolated. At present, there is no danger to life for any of the patients. According to the responsible health authority all three patients come from Bad Segeberg. Presumably, they had infected themselves with a patient also living in the district town, who had already been ill in mid-March.

Health Department is looking for people who had contact with patients
Twelve clinic staff who had contact with the sufferers have to undergo a blood test to prevent transmission of the highly contagious infectious disease. The district health office is trying to locate people who have had contact with patients in recent days. By Monday, a total of 20 of these people have been identified. Those affected must be vaccinated, stay at home for the next 14 days, and are not allowed to go to work or to school. „There can be more“, thinks Dr. Sylvia Hakimpour-Zern, the director of the district health department. „All persons are so far understandable and did not contradict our instructions.“ In the hospital, all precautionary measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the disease. „Since we know that it is measles cases, we have activated the alarm chain in our house“, said company spokesman Robert Quentin.

Infected with Mario Barth appearance?
As the „Hamburger Abendblatt“ writes that one of the persons treated at the Segeberger hospital was probably infected during a Mario Barth appearance in Hannover on March 14th. After the event it became known that one of the approximately 10,000 visitors had measles. A ministry spokeswoman warned at the time: „Other visitors to the event may have been infected with measles.“

Infection already possible with short contact
The measles virus is transmitted by droplet infection when speaking, coughing or sneezing and can even lead to an infection in short contact. In the beginning it comes next to the typical red spots usually to fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose and dry cough. Since the immune system is weakened for several weeks, a measles disease can also lead to pneumonia, otitis media or diarrhea, in bad cases also to encephalitis.

Vaccination recommendation for children and some adults
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) advises on a first measles vaccine for children aged 11 to 14 months, usually combined with a vaccine against mumps and rubella. A second time should then be vaccinated at the earliest four weeks later, but no later than the end of the second year of life. In addition, adults born after 1970 are advised to get vaccinated if they never, or only once, have them vaccinated or if they do not know their vaccination status. The STIKO recommends the measles vaccine since 1974. There is currently no compulsory vaccination against measles in Germany. (Sb)