Four measles cases confirmed in North Macedonia, two infants among the infected

Health authorities in North Macedonia have confirmed four cases of measles, Health Minister Sasho Klekovski announced today. Three of the cases were detected domestically — one each in Skopje, Veles and Shtip — and a fourth case was imported from Kosovo.

Of the three locally acquired infections, two are infants aged 12 months and one is a 40-year-old adult. All four patients are unvaccinated, Klekovski said.

Children under 12 months are not covered by the routine measles vaccine, the minister warned, and protecting them requires vaccinating those around them.

Authorities complete epidemiological checks

"The Institute of Public Health and the centers for public health are completing epidemiological analyses to determine any connection and the possibility of linkage between the cases. And very soon we will publish whether the three cases are linked or not. There are no conditions for declaring an epidemic at the moment. So, we have the first cases and what we are doing in the context of epidemics in Kosovo and in Bulgaria is to call for caution from citizens and institutions. As for citizens — vaccinate!" said Minister of Health Sasho Klekovski.

Health services have so far not announced measures that would amount to an epidemic declaration; instead authorities are urging increased vigilance and calling on the public to ensure vaccination coverage.

Photo: press material from the event