Ranchi: A suspected measles-rubella (MR) case in a 10-year-old girl from Simdega district has prompted the Jharkhand health department to step up surveillance and vaccination efforts across the state, where 17 measles outbreaks have been reported between Jan and Aug this year.The girl, identified as Purnima Samad from Thetaitangar block, developed symptoms consistent with rubella earlier this month, triggering an immediate response from health authorities. Although laboratory tests later ruled out rubella, officials said the case exposed gaps in immunisation coverage and led to an intensified vaccination campaign in the area.Simdega civil surgeon Dr Sundar Mohan Samad said the child had received the first MR vaccine dose in 2018 but missed the second after her family temporarily migrated to Odisha. She has since been administered the second dose. Following it, health workers identified 112 children eligible for vaccination in Thetaitangar, of whom 28 have already been inoculated since Sept 20. Three additional teams will be deployed from Wednesday to speed up coverage, he said.The alert comes at a time when the state is battling recurring measles outbreaks. State immunisation officer Dr Vijay Kishore Rajak said, “Jharkhand recorded 17 measles outbreaks between Jan and Aug. Pakur accounted for the highest number with nine outbreaks, followed by East Singhbhum (three), West Singhbhum (two), and one each in Gumla, Jamtara and Saraikela-Kharsawan.”Rajak added that health teams have vaccinated nearly 900 children aged between nine months and five years in affected areas as part of outbreak response measures. The beneficiaries included children who had never been vaccinated, those who had missed one of the two mandatory doses and, in some cases, children who were revaccinated as an added precaution.An increase in measles cases during April and May this year prompted the department to intensify immunisation efforts. National Health Mission’s Jharkhand unit has also set up a dedicated Measles-Rubella War Room to ensure rapid response to suspected cases and support the state’s goal of eliminating both diseases by 2030.
