Health official: Measles outbreak in Bulgaria fading, problem remains in Sofia

There are 1,158 registered cases of measles in Bulgaria, the Director of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Prof. Dr. Todor Kantardzhiev, told BNT breakfast show on September 19.

He said that the epidemic is seriously going away. In the district of Bourgas, where it started in February, it has ended. The epidemic is over in the districts of Kyustendil and Pazardzhik. The problem remains in Sofia city where there have been 3-4 cases over the recent 3 weeks, mainly children in pre-immunisation age.

When the epidemic spread from the health facilities in Razlog, then on several occasions we insisted that the immunization should cover the vulnerable groups, Prof. Kantardzhiev was adamant.

According to him, under no circumstances should it be allowed to write in the registers that a child was vaccinated without actually having been given a vaccine, as this is the biggest mistake, he added.

Children with measles were were put together with babies in the infant ward. Hospitals made big mistakes - they did not check the staff's blood and so the infection spread, the expert said.

If we do not eradicate measles by February, we will be placed in the groups of countries that have internal spread of measles, he added.