Epidemic Hazard - Netherlands, Province of Zeeland, Veluwe : At least 30 people from the Dutch Bible belt have so far been diagnosed with measles

Earth Watch Report  -  Epidemic Hazards

                                            

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12.06.2013

Epidemic Hazard

Netherlands

Province of Zeeland, Veluwe

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Epidemic Hazard in Netherlands on Wednesday, 12 June, 2013 at 10:22 (10:22 AM) UTC.

Description
At least 30 people from the Dutch Bible belt have so far been diagnosed with measles in the first outbreak of the sometimes fatal disease in 13 years. The infections are largely based around strict Protestant schools in a broad sweep across the country from the Veluwe area to Zeeland province, the public health institute RIVM said in a statement. Fundamentalist Protestants in the Netherlands do not believe in having their children vaccinated. The measles vaccine is given to most children in the BMR combination injection at the age of 14 months and again at nine years. The total number of cases may be far higher than 30 because not everyone will have visited their doctor, the RIVM said. Measles is spread by coughing and sneezing. The RIVM said it is monitoring developments closely and expects the spread of the disease to widen among unvaccinated children. Parents can visit their doctor for a catch-up injection, the RIVM said. The last measles outbreak in the Netherlands was between 1999 and 2000 when there were some 3,300 infections and three children died.
Biohazard name:	Measles
Biohazard level:	2/4 Medium
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. "Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures", see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed