Measles outbreak kills 17 unvaccinated children in Romania

[Heddi]

https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0312/859093-measles/

A measles outbreak in Romania has killed 17 children and infected thousands more since September due to poverty and an anti-vaccination movement.

Romanian health minister Florian Bodog said that none of the children who died from the highly contagious virus had been vaccinated, adding that the last victim was a one-year-old girl from the northern city of Satu Mare.

More than 3,400 people have been infected since February 2016 compared with the year before when the country registered seven cases but no deaths, Mr Bodog said, according to the Hotnews.ro site.


In Romania, poverty, the lack of access to health services, and the percentage of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children are at the heart of the recent epidemic.

Religious organisations and public figures have led recent anti-vaccination campaigns.

[Ilsa]

1. Heartbreaking, unnecessary deaths. nt

[Warpy]

2. It's amazing how many people don't know this disease is a killer

Not growing up with it the way I did, and I lost a playmate to it, they have no idea that it's more than just a rash. Kids get very sick with it and a few die. That's why we finally got a vaccine.

Australia now has a bill pending that will bar unvaccinated children from preschool and multi child child care, as well as school as they are now. It's a step in the right direction.

Parents can be as stupid as they want to be. They just don't have the right to threaten the survival of kids who can't get the vaccines for various medical reasons.

[Ilsa]

3. I had rubella as a baby.

My titer was still 100x higher than normal 37 years later.

I think the only exceptions should be families with Medically documented severe adverse reactions.

[trotsky]

4. And it's not always just a fringe religious org that leads anti-vax efforts.

Kenya: Why the Catholic Church is Opposed to Polio Vaccine
http://allafrica.com/stories/201508040159.html

[Heddi]

5. Well they're also opposed to condoms

so it's not like logic regarding medical issues is a strong suit with religious orgs