The Entre Ríos Ministry of Health has warned people who traveled by bus in that province that they may have been exposed to a measles outbreak due to the confirmation of four cases in Uruguay.
According to the statement released this Monday, on November 15, a group of passengers boarded the bus belonging to the company San José S.R.L., on the Retiro-Federación route, with stops in cities in Entre Ríos.
The General Directorate of Epidemiology, which is part of the Ministry headed by Mario Lugones, indicated that any user who was present on that stretch of the journey must remain alert to the appearance of possible symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, red spots on the skin, fever, and conjunctivitis.
In this context, "it is recommended to immediately go to the nearest health facility wearing a mask, avoiding waiting rooms and mentioning the travel history (contact with a confirmed case)", the statement emphasizes.
The bus made stops in Gualeguaychú, Concepción del Uruguay, Colón, Concordia, and Federación. On November 16, the family headed towards Paysandú.
Local authorities have not yet reported any suspected or confirmed cases of measles.
Measles is a viral, highly contagious disease that can affect people of all ages and can cause serious respiratory complications such as pneumonia and central nervous system disorders like seizures, meningitis, blindness, post-infectious encephalomyelitis with severe mental retardation, and late degenerative disorders that are untreatable, and can even cause death.
It is transmitted through airborne droplets from the nose, mouth, or throat of an infected person, and the virus can remain active and contagious in the air or on surfaces for up to 2 hours.
