Toddler dies as measles outbreak hits German capital

[uppityperson]

http://news.yahoo.com/toddler-dies-measles-germany-says-health-official-002917361.html

A toddler suffering from measles has died in the German capital, health authorities said Monday, amid the country's worst outbreak in years and a debate about vaccinations.

The 18-month-old boy died on February 18, the first known fatality among more than 570 recorded measles cases since October in the German capital, a Berlin health department official told AFP.

The resurgence of the preventable disease in Germany, as well as in parts of the United States, coincides with a movement among some parents to refuse to vaccinate their children.

Health Minister Hermann Groehe said "the irrational fear-mongering of some vaccination-foes is irresponsible"....(more)

[Warpy]

1. These diseases are all proven killers and completely preventable.

Public health laws need to be strengthened and given some real teeth.

Too many parents are ornery, pigheaded and uninformed and now they're being disinformed by crackpots. They need to be steamrolled out of the libertarian crapola that threatens us all.

[KMOD]

2. That's so very sad.

As more and more people refuse vaccinations, this is only going to get worse every year.

154 cases in 17 states here so far this year.