On alert for measles outbreak

Health authorities in Marshall Islands are on high alert following an outbreak of measles on the nearby island of Kosrae in Federated States of Micronesia.

Two cases were confirmed late last week, both infants, and it is feared the highly contagious disease could spread to Marshall Islands by the inter-islands airline service.

Marshalls Secretary of Health Julia Alfred issued a “warning” Friday for the public to be aware “that measles is in our region.”

Local health workers are bolstering vaccine supplies in response to the outbreak.

“Right now we have a minimum supply of MMRs (measles, mumps and rubella vaccine), and our public health team have put in the orders so hopefully we have enough in the next week, within this week and next week,” Alfred said.

“As soon as we get a lot of supplies in, I’m sure our public health workers and primary healthcare staff will be out there distributing the vaccines.”

“Measles is highly contagious and Kosrae is just around the corner,” said Ministry of Health Public Health Administrator Mailynn Konelios-Langinlur to health officials on Majuro and Kwajalein.

She notified “all physicians and nurses to be on high alert.”

Only 80 per cent of children in the capital Majuro have been vaccinated against measles compared to 98 per cent in the outer islands.

“Here in the urban centre people are going in and out, transportation is getting way better and so it’s quite difficult to track, and make sure that everyone that comes in gets their immunisations completed,” Alfred said.

Alfred says health authorities are also working on measles education and prevention.

“Reaching out to the densely populated areas is a primary focus right now,” Alfred said.

“Enrolled nurses have begun going out to make sure the registries are updated, getting the information out there, reaching out to people who are at home and not necessarily coming out to the health centres.”

Kosrae has a population of about 8000 people and is one of four states in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is about 580 miles southwest of Majuro.

The two islands are linked by United Airlines, which flies an “island hopper” service connecting Honolulu and Guam with Majuro, Kwajalein, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk.