After a case of measles was confirmed at Astrid Lindgren’s children’s hospital, the hospital carried out “extensive detective work” over the weekend. Now around fifty people have been treated. – We have offered treatment to those who do not have immunity, says Malin Ryd Rinder, operations director of the children’s outpatient department at Karolinska University Hospital. On Friday, a case of measles was confirmed at Astrid Lindgren’s children’s hospital, which P4 Stockholm was the first to report on. The patient is a child who was infected abroad and has been in the children’s emergency department in both Solna and Huddinge. – There has been extensive detective work throughout the weekend to trace infections. We have contacted all the people who stayed in the premises during this time, says Malin Ryd Rinder, operations manager of the children’s outpatient care at Karolinska University Hospital. “No suspicion of community infection” Around 400-500 people have been traced to infection. Those who lack immunity or do not have adequate immunity have been offered vaccination or treatment with immunoglobulin in accordance with the guidelines. In total, around fifty children have received treatment. – We have not established another case and there is no suspicion of community infection because it is a person who was infected abroad, says Malin Ryd Rinder. The infection tracking work is basically complete. Because measles is an airborne infection, all people who have stayed in the hospital’s premises have been contacted. Those who have been treated are, in addition to those who lack immunity, also children under 18 months who have not had time to be vaccinated. Unusual outbreak The work that remains at the hospital now is administrative, where the situation must be summarized. – I assess the risk of spread as small, but of course not non-existent. That is why we have taken all these measures. She emphasizes that measles is “incredibly rare” in Sweden, something that can lead to hospitals finding it difficult to detect it – Therefore, it may be worth reminding that it occurs abroad, says Malin Ryd Rinder.
t4-general
Fifty children have been treated after measles cases in hospital
