PARENTS have been warned of an outbreak of a deadly disease in France as thousands of Brits visit for the Rugby World Cup.
Some 31 children have been infected with measles between September 19 and October 6, health authorities have said. One has been hospitalised.
The majority of cases came from a college in Ardèche, Southern France, according to the ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. While several others came from a neighbouring primary school.
It comes as new UK figures revealed over one in 10 children under five have missed out at least one of the vital MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccines which protects against the bug.
Uptake is especially low in London, where one in four are missing a dose of the jab.
The NHS data represents the lowest level of vaccine uptake in the UK in 12 years, since 2010-11.
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More than 600,000 international visitors are expected to visit France for the Rugby World Cup this autumn, with over 2.5 million tickets sold, according to a media report.
And over half of the international visitors are from the UK.
Throngs of fans gathering in and around stadiums increase the risk of highly infectious illnesses like measles spreading and being brought home, health officials said.
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Measles is so contagious that a child who has it will infect up to nine out of 10 children around them, if not protected by a jab.
Each year, around 134,200 children will die of the disease, according to the World Health Organisation.
To prevent further spread of the bug, European Centre for Disease Control recommend World Cub attendees follow standard hygiene procedures.
This includes washing hands with soap and water or a disinfectant, using disposable tissues, avoiding contact with those who appear ill and staying at home or a hotel room when feeling ill.
Last month, fans were also warned to stay vigilant because of an outbreak of rare food borne botulism poisoning in one of the country’s main wine regions.
Meanwhile, some 31 cases of locally transmitted (autochthonous) dengue has also been reported in mainland France.
And tick-borne encephalitis has been spotted 71 times from 2021 to this year, public health authorities in France said.
What the are the symptoms of measles?
MEASLES can begin with cold-lie symptoms:
These include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots can also appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later.
A blotchy red rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms. It starts on the face and behind the ears before moving to the rest of the body.
It usually clears in seven to 10 days but can lead to other serious complications.
Severe complications can occur, including miscarriage in pregnant women, brain swelling and the risk of death from pneumonia.
It's very unlikely to be measles if you've had both doses of the MMR vaccine or you've had measles before.
But it you think you or your child could have measles ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.
Source: NHS
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