Girl in Radboudumc died from measles

The Radboudumc in Nijmegen has confirmed after reports from the Gelderlander that a girl died of measles in their hospital last month. Where she contracted that disease is not known, usually this highly contagious virus is spread through small droplets in the air. Measles causes symptoms such as muscle aches, fever, and red spots on the neck and face.

Vaccination against measles started in the Netherlands in 1976, reducing the number of cases from hundreds of thousands of cases per year to about 10. However, epidemics can sometimes still break out among people who do not get vaccinated. A 17-year-old girl also died in Zeeland in 2013 from the consequences of an outbreak.

Developing countries

According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, about 250 children a day still die from the consequences of measles in developing countries, mainly due to complications such as dehydration and swelling of the brain. In the Netherlands, the chance of dying from this is less than 1 in 10,000. serious complications are especially dangerous for children under 5 years old and people over 30 years old.