The Department of Public Health is working on a plan to limit measles cases on our island.
ORANJESTAD—Aruba's Department of Public Health has continued to closely monitor the development of transmission of the measles virus around the world and is preparing a plan to limit the possibility of cases or an outbreak of the disease in Aruba.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases caused by the measles virus. This virus transmits through the air when the infected person coughs or sneezes. The disease can cause severe complications and even death.
Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in the world in 1963, every year many children, particularly those under five years old, died as a result of this disease.
Since the introduction of the measles vaccine, measles cases worldwide have decreased, and in Aruba, since its introduction in 1979, we have not seen this disease since the 1980s. This is thanks to the high vaccination rate (95%) among our children between 0 and 10 years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alarm again about the uptick in measles infections in several European and American nations.
Despite the Caribbean's lack of documented local transmission, imported cases make the risk real.
The cause of the measles outbreak, according to health groups, is a drop in vaccination rates, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The more people decide not to vaccinate their children against measles, the more the immunity of the country decreases, causing the possibility to become greater for the virus to transmit itself through those who are not vaccinated but also the most vulnerable.
As previously reported, the Department of Public Health has been monitoring this worldwide development. It started holding meetings with various partners to devise a strategy to lessen the likelihood that Aruba will have a measles outbreak and safeguard the most susceptible.
We cannot rule out the possibility that the measles virus will eventually infiltrate our nation, just as it was impossible to stop the COVID-19 virus from doing so. Therefore, we must be internally ready to control its spread when it does infiltrate and provide protection to the population most in danger of contracting the virus and becoming seriously ill or possibly dying.
DVG will inform the community more about this disease and the prevention plan to limit the virus transmission on our island.
Your health is your responsibility; take action to protect yourself against measles!
For more information, like our Facebook page, Directie Volksgezondheid DVG Aruba; follow us on Instagram at directie_volksgezondheid_aruba; upload our website at www.dvg.aw; call us at 5224200; or mail us at service@dvg.aw.