Measles cases have been confirmed one after another across the country, including in Tokyo and Osaka.
It is believed that the infection was acquired by a person who returned from overseas or entered the country as a tourist, and experts say, ``People who are going abroad should check their vaccination history and antibody status, and get vaccinated if necessary.'' I urge you to consider this."
Measles, also known as measles, is an infectious disease caused by a virus that is extremely contagious and is known to be transmitted not only through droplets or contact, but also through the air.
Since last month, reports of measles infections have been occurring one after another in various places, and in Nara Prefecture, it was discovered that a man who entered the country from overseas was infected, and another man who had been in contact with this man was also confirmed to be infected. .
Additionally, on the 1st of this month, it was discovered that a man in Osaka Prefecture who had returned from the United Arab Emirates was infected with measles. Infection has been confirmed.
Among these, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that a woman from Osaka Prefecture developed the disease in Tokyo, where she was staying, and released specific information on the Shinkansen and restaurants that the woman used, and reported to people who were in the same place that she had noticed any changes in her physical condition. If this occurs, we urge you to contact us in advance and visit a medical institution instead of using public transportation.
According to a summary by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the number of people infected with measles in Japan has remained at around a few to several dozen per year since 2020, when the new coronavirus spread, but in 2019 before that. The virus has spread worldwide, and more than 700 people have been reported to have been infected in Japan.
Atsuro Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University who is an expert on infectious diseases, said, ``Measles is spreading mainly in Asia and Africa, and has even been brought to Japan.I want to make sure that children are vaccinated, and adults too. "I would like people who are at high risk, such as those who are traveling overseas, to check their vaccination history and antibody status, and consider getting vaccinated if necessary."
A boy under 5 years old infected with measles in Tokyo
A boy under the age of 5 in Tokyo has been confirmed to be infected with measles.
Since the boy was using a restaurant in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is asking anyone who suspects symptoms to consult a medical institution.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the person who was confirmed to be infected with measles is a boy under the age of 5 living in Tokyo.
The boy developed symptoms such as fever and rash on the 4th of this month, and after visiting a medical institution and undergoing a detailed investigation, it was confirmed that he had been infected on the 11th.
The boy is currently hospitalized, but he is said to be recovering.
The boy has a history of traveling overseas and had visited a restaurant in Adachi Ward on the 3rd of this month, the day before his symptoms appeared, so the metropolitan government recommends that anyone who suspects symptoms should consult a medical institution. I am calling on you to do so.
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare “Consider vaccination if necessary”
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare urges people to check their maternal and child health handbook to see if they have completed two measles vaccinations, and then consider getting vaccinated if necessary.
Because measles is highly contagious, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends that if you have symptoms that suggest measles, such as fever, cough, red eyes, or rash, please refrain from using public transportation and consult a medical institution in advance. We want you to consult with us and follow our instructions.
The government also urges people to pay close attention to their health for about two weeks after returning from overseas, in case they develop measles.
《What kind of disease is measles?
》
Measles is a viral infection that is extremely contagious and can lead to serious illness or even death, so vigilance is required.
[Route of infection: easily infected]
Measles is transmitted when a person coughs or sneezes, which contain the virus and are inhaled.
In addition to being transmitted through the air, it can also be spread through droplets and contact, and it is extremely contagious, so if you do not have immunity, it is almost certain that you will become infected just by being in the same room as an infected person.
If those around you do not have immunity and infection control measures are not taken, the ``basic reproduction number'', which indicates how many people a patient can spread the infection to, is ``12 to 18'', and it is about ``2 to 3''. It is said to be much more contagious than the new coronavirus, which has been around for a long time.
This time, infections have been occurring one after another in people who were on the same plane, but last year, infections were confirmed in people who were on the same Shinkansen train, and in 2019, infections were confirmed in people who were on the same Shinkansen train, and in 2019, infections were confirmed in people who were on the same train on the Shinkansen. In one case, a part-time store clerk was confirmed to be infected, and the infection spread to other shoppers who were visiting the sales floor.
[Symptoms: Severe symptoms and even death]
The main symptoms of measles infection include fever, cough, rash, and red eyes.
According to Tetsuo Nakayama, a specially-appointed professor at Kitasato University who is an expert on infectious diseases, the characteristic of a fever is that it subsides in about two days and then rises again, reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius, and the fever lasts for about a week.
The rash does not appear until a few days after symptoms begin, so it may be difficult to diagnose measles at first.
In addition, infections can cause complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, which can lead to severe cases.
Encephalitis in particular occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 people, and can lead to death in some cases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one to three out of every 1,000 children infected with measles will die from respiratory or neurological complications.
[Serious encephalitis after many years]
Approximately 1 in 100,000 people may develop a disease called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) about 5 years after recovering from measles.
SSPE develops after a long incubation period when the measles virus remains in the central nervous system.
Even if the patient has been living a healthy life, the patient may suddenly become unable to carry out daily activities or develop noticeable abnormal behavior, which may lead to death.
According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, people are infected with the measles virus before the age of 2, and after an incubation period of 4 to 8 years, symptoms often develop between the ages of 6 and 10, but adults However, there are cases where it occurs.
[Expert: “Recognize that it is a disease that cannot be underestimated without a specific cure”]
Project Professor Nakayama said, ``The most serious complication of measles is encephalitis, and the initial symptoms are fever and rash, but the situation continues such that the person is drowsy and does not respond even when called.Measles has been around for a long time. It is said to be a ``deadly disease.'' I want people to recognize that there is no specific cure for this disease, and that it is a disease that should not be taken lightly.''
If you suspect that you have been infected, we urge you to contact a medical institution and seek medical attention.
《How to prevent measles infection》
There is no specific medicine for measles, and the only treatment available is to treat the symptoms according to the symptoms, so experts say it is important to prevent infection with a vaccine.
[Ensure routine vaccinations for children]
In Japan, the MR vaccine, which prevents measles and rubella, is available to pre-school children as a routine vaccination at public expense.
The ``MR vaccine'' is a ``routine vaccination'', and the first dose is given at ages 1 to 2 years old, and the second dose is administered at ages 5 to 7 years old, before entering elementary school.
There is a set period for vaccination at public expense:
the first dose is until the day before the child's 2nd birthday, and
the second dose is until the end of March before the child enters elementary school.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the vaccination rate for the MR vaccine last year was 95.4% for the first dose, the second lowest in the past 10 years, and 92.4% for the second dose, the lowest in the past 10 years.
In Japan, in 2007, infections spread mainly among children aged 0 to 1 who had not been vaccinated, as well as teenagers and people in their 20s who had only received one dose, and Kawasaki Medical Clinic, which is familiar with vaccines, said University head professor Takashi Nakano said, ``I urge all eligible people to remember to get vaccinated.''
[Actually, some people have not been vaccinated]
Experts caution that even middle-aged and elderly people who have not been infected, have not been vaccinated, or have only received one dose of the virus can be life-threatening if they become infected.
According to the Vaccine Team of the Infectious Disease Committee of the Japan Federation of Primary Care Associations, people over the age of 50 who were born before September 30, 1972 have not yet started regular vaccinations and should not receive the vaccine once. This means that they may not have been vaccinated.
Even if you were born after that date, people in their mid-20s or older who were born before April 1, 2000 may not have sufficient immunity because they only received one routine vaccination. .
[For women before pregnancy]
Pregnant women should be especially careful.
Pregnant women who become infected with measles are at high risk of complications, including the possibility of miscarriage or premature birth.
The vaccine is a "live vaccine" that has weakened the toxicity of the virus, and it is not recommended to be vaccinated during pregnancy, so it is important for those who wish to become pregnant to be vaccinated in advance.
[Expert: "Check vaccination history and immune status"]
Tetsuo Nakayama, a specially appointed professor at Kitasato University who is an expert on infectious diseases, said, ``It is important to check your vaccination history by looking at your maternal and child health handbook and to check your immunity status by taking an antibody test. People who often come into contact with children, such as childcare workers, and people who go on long business trips overseas should be especially careful."
What is the status of measles infection around the world?
In Japan, as a result of promoting measles vaccination mainly for children, in 2015 the WHO certified that the country was in an ``eliminated state'' where there were no indigenous viruses, and the only cases reported in Japan were those arriving from overseas. There have been cases where people who have returned to Japan have been infected.
However, worldwide, the number of infected people has been on the rise in recent years, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 300,000 cases reported worldwide last year, approximately 1.8 times as many as the previous year. The number of cases is particularly increasing in the Middle East, India, and Indonesia.
According to Atsuro Hamada, a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Medical University who specializes in travel medicine and is well versed in infectious diseases overseas, there has been an increase in the number of countries in which vaccinations for children are not available due to the spread of the new coronavirus, especially in Asia and Africa. The infection appears to have spread to developed countries as travel restrictions were subsequently eased and people began to move more actively.
Professor Hamada pointed out that while children in Asia and Africa are mainly infected, adults in developed countries, including Japan, are often infected, and in Japan even people in their 20s are infected. Our analysis suggests that this is because a certain number of people in this generation have not received both doses of the vaccine.
Project Professor Hamada said, ``We believe that people who travel abroad or have frequent contact with people visiting Japan from overseas are at high risk of being infected with measles, so make sure that they have received two doses of the vaccine. "I would like people to take a test to see if they have sufficient antibodies, and consider getting vaccinated if necessary."