The canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden has started contact tracing due to a case of measles. The highly contagious viral infectious disease emerged in a participant of an international event in Trogen AR after he had already returned to his home country.
The person took part in an event that took place at the same time as the ‘European Youth Forum’, the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden announced on Thursday. The forum took place from February 24 to March 2 at the Pestalozzi Children’s Village Trogen.
The affected person was still asymptomatic during the event but was already contagious, the statement said. Due to the current regulations for dealing with infectious diseases, the cantonal medical service has started contact tracing.
To contain the spread of the virus, the vaccination status of contacts is being checked, the statement continued. If necessary, follow-up vaccination of the contacts and their environment is recommended. The affected surrounding cantons and foreign health authorities have also been informed.
Individual people from the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden who had not been vaccinated against measles also took part in the events, canton doctor Franziska Kluschke said when asked by the Keystone-SDA news agency. They must now stay at home for the time being, in accordance with the instructions of the cantonal medical service.
According to the announcement, more than 150 people took part in the “European Youth Forum”, including numerous international delegations and students from the Trogen Cantonal School. There are currently no cases of measles in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
The Ausserrhode population is generally well protected against the measles virus, the statement continued.
“The current measles vaccination rate in Switzerland should prevent a major epidemic,” Daniel Dauwwalder, media spokesperson for the Federal Office for Public Health (BAG) wrote in February at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency. Throughout Switzerland, the vaccination rate for small children against measles is 94 percent.
Twelve cases of measles were recorded in Switzerland in the first five weeks of this year. (saw/sda)
Source: Blick
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