Cases of measles have been reported in Chennai over the past few months. While there is no surge or clustering, paediatricians say most affected children were not fully vaccinated against measles.
Officials of the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said there is no upsurge compared to the previous year. “The State’s immunisation coverage stands at 99%. The Measles-Rubella vaccine, administered at nine and 18 months - has about 85% efficacy and provides adequate protection,” A. Somasundaram, Director of Public Health, said.
A doctor at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore said there were cases of measles but not in clusters. “The cases are not in large numbers. Vaccination is key to prevention, and nutritious food is important to prevent complications in affected children,” he said.
At Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, Janani Sankar, medical director, said they were seeing a lot of children with measles since February end. “Most of them missed a dose of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine - first dose at nine months and second dose at 15 months - during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are five or six years old now. There is a never-vaccinated group too,” she said. High grade fever with rash along with three Cs - Cough, Coryza (runny nose) and Conjunctival congestion - are the typical symptoms of measles, she said.
