The uptake of measles vaccination has increased to the recommended 95 per cent after a drop between 2015 and 2017, but the number of measles cases has also increased.

Last year there were six cases – five imported and one local – of measles; this year there have already been 26 confirmed cases, only five of which were potentially imported. 

Nevertheless, Malta falls into the ‘elimination’ category for measles, a Health Ministry spokeswoman confirmed.

Measles cases primarily occur in unvaccinated populations. 

Large outbreaks with fatalities are occurring in many European countries that had previously eliminated or interrupted endemic transmission.

A spokeswoman said the Health Ministry remained vigilant about the measles outbreak at European and worldwide levels, and was closely monitoring the action being taken by fellow European countries. 

While it continues to promote voluntary vaccination in a bid to minimise the measles outbreak, the health authorities will also be meeting the Malta Paediatrics Association, which is calling for mandatory vaccination for children who are admitted to childcare, nurseries and schools.

The association’s appeal follows comments by Walter Ricciardi, director of the Italian national health observatory, that making vaccination a condition for entering school could keep the anti-vaccines effect at bay.

In Malta, it is mandatory for children to be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and polio by particular ages as stipulated by the national schedule. Vaccination against measles and mumps is not yet mandatory although girls must be vaccinated against rubella by the age of 13.

Closely monitoring the action being taken by fellow European countries

Falling vaccination rates have prompted the World Health Organisation to declare the anti-vaccine movement to be one of the top 10 global health threats for 2019. 

The WHO recommends a threshold of 95 per cent immunisation coverage to achieve so-called ‘herd immunity’.

According to the Health Ministry, vaccination coverage rates for children in Malta show a good uptake. The coverage for the combined diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and haemophilus influenza B (DTaP-IPV-Hib1) have over the past years always been over 95 per cent, with 2018 figures standing at 99, 98.97 and 99.45 per cent for the first, second and third doses respectively.

MMR coverage rates, meanwhile, increased from 73 and 97 per cent for the first and second dose in 2010 to 98 and 94 per cent in 2014.

However, coverage decreased to 89 and 90.8 per cent for the first and second dose in 2015. 

The decrease for the period between 2015 and 2017 was followed by ongoing initiatives to encourage vaccination, and the coverage rate in children for 2018 increased to 95.5 and 95 per cent for the second dose.

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