HEALTH Number of measles cases increases in Stip
The number of people infected with measles in Stip has drastically increased. The first cases appeared in a Stip clothing company, which was closed these days due to 15 infected workers.
Following this information, CIVIL Media came across more information in regards to this specific case. It concerns the clothing company “Nirvana fashion”, which is in the same building with at least two other clothing companies. Moreover, part of the workers use the same yard during breaks. Workers from other clothing companies in Stip, on the other hand, use the same bus to get to work as those employed in “Nirvana fashion”.
According to initial information, disinfection and immunization of employees has been carried out only in “Nirvana fashion”. The company was already working full-time yesterday.
However, the question remains as to whether for the protection of the public health it is safe not to take any measures for the employees in the other textile companies that share the same building with the infected employees, and isn’t there a risk to their health? Another question that remains open is, according to the organized transportation of workers, from which other textile companies in Stip have workers been travelling together with the infected workers, and have measures been taken for protection of their health, how, and is there a need to carry out disinfection of the bus performing the transportation.
CIVIL demanded an answer from the Public Health Institution – Center for Public Health- Stip. From the Center they inform that they are taking all measures to prevent spreading of a measles epidemic and that the first step for prevention is mandatory vaccination.
“A vaccination status has been made and examination of the employees in that clothing company. Those who have already received one dose and those who haven’t been vaccinated were vaccinated. Out of 27 employees, 5 employees were not at work at that moment. Ten workers were already infected then, that number increased, while all the rest are vaccinated. It is a respiratory infection. Disinfection of the facility can prevent only momentarily, half an hour from the spreading of the disease, because the measles is an airborne disease, the only measure is vaccination of non-vaccinated population. It is appropriate to perform disinfection, but it will not quite influence the course of the epidemic. We are already in contact with those who in some way have been in relation with those infected, these days we will review the cases and we will vaccinate them. Today I am in Skopje to procure enough vaccines for everyone. The main recommendation is vaccination”, stated Dr. Marija Dimitrova, Director of the Center for Public Health – Stip, who today is in the Ministry of Health with the purpose to request further measures to be taken for preventing the contagious disease.
From CIVIL they inform that they will continue to follow the case. CIVIL demands from the institutions for all necessary measures to be taken urgently for preserving the health of the citizens and to act with caution, since it concerns the spreading of an epidemic among adults over the age of 30 years, especially because previously in Stip there were no measles cases.
Simona M. Zivkova
