The death of a man in Swansea is being investigated as potentially the first related to the measles outbreak in the region, Public Health Wales has announced.
The development comes after Public Health Wales announced a further 43 cases have been reported in the measles outbreak centred on Swansea, bringing the total number to 808.
GP leaders told Pulse this week they are very concerned about the potential for outbreaks elsewhere and called for Public Health England to publicise and fund catch-up campaigns to try to reach people who have not had both doses of MMR.
Dr Marion Lyons, director of health protection at Public Health Wales said: ‘Public Health Wales laboratory tests have today confirmed a diagnosis of measles in a 25-year-old male from Swansea who died on Thursday 18 April.
‘The tests confirm only that the deceased had measles at the time of his death. Further investigations are being undertaken by the Swansea Coroner to establish the cause of death.
‘My sympathies are with the family at such a tragic time. Whatever the cause of death in this case, we should not be surprised if, as the outbreak grows, we start to see deaths in Wales.’
