Measles outbreak: man suspected to have died of disease in Swansea

If cause is confirmed, 25-year-old's death would be first measles fatality in UK since 2008The Swansea coroner is investigating whether a 25-year-old man has died of measles. The city is at the centre of a major outbreak of the highly infectious disease, and the fatality – if the cause is confirmed – would be the first UK death from measles since 2008. Seventy-seven people have needed hospital treatment during the outbreak.More than 800 cases, many among 10- to 18-year-olds, have been reported since November, and numbers are rising steadily and spreading north from the south of the country despite health authorities organising special immunisation clinics at hospitals and schools.The man is being named locally as Gareth Williams. His body was found in a flat in the city on Friday. His death is not being treated as suspicious.Health officials have repeatedly warned parents of children who had not had the triple measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to arrange vaccination for them "as a matter of urgency".One local head told the Guardian this week that he was concerned by a lack of response by some parents to a special clinic at his school.Marion Lyons, director of health protection for Public Health Wales, said it was aware of a death being investigated by the Swansea coroner. She added: "A diagnosis of measles has not yet been confirmed. Testing the deceased for measles is forming part of the investigations being overseen by the coroner."My sympathies are with the fami...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Infectious diseases News Health guardian.co.uk Vaccines and immunisation Society MMR UK news Wales Science Source Type: news