Alert on measles epidemic

Health authorities fear a national measles epidemic as low vaccination take-up has seen 913 cases between November and March in 59 departments – and 50% of cases in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

This is more than in the whole of 2017 and saw one unvaccinated 32-year-old woman die in Poitiers, Vienne in February.

Santé Publique France said anyone born since 1980 should get a jab as the vaccination rate was just 79% instead of the 95% needed for collective protection – with no department reaching 95%.