Infant in Veles confirmed with measles; officials blame low MMR coverage
Health officials link the Veles case and three other confirmed infections to falling MMR vaccine uptake; one case is a Kosovo national over 40.
An infant under 12 months in Veles has been confirmed with measles, and local health officials point to low MMR vaccination coverage as the primary cause, Dr. Marina Todorovska said. Todorovska leads the Service for Preschool Prevention and Vaccination at the Health Centre in Veles.
Four confirmed cases nationwide, three are infants
Minister of Health Sasho Klekovski announced yesterday that there are four confirmed measles cases in the country. One patient is a foreign national from Kosovo, aged over 40, while three are infants up to 12 months old from Veles, Shtip and Skopje. All infected individuals were unvaccinated; two of the infants were too young to have received the MMR vaccine.
Health officials in Veles reported that MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine coverage in the Veles region reached only 50.8% in the first half of this year, down from 68.5% last year. The local health centre covers preschool children from the municipalities of Veles, Gradsko and Chashka.
Authorities warned that low immunization rates increase the risk of outbreaks, especially among infants who are not yet eligible for vaccination. The confirmation of a measles case in an infant underlines the vulnerability of this age group when community immunity drops.
Local teams are monitoring contacts and advising parents to check vaccination records and follow public-health guidance. The health centre reiterated the importance of timely MMR vaccination to prevent further spread.
Photo: Arhiva na SDK.MK)
