A toddler suffering from measles has died in the German capital, health authorities said today, 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".
"Those who refuse to vaccinate their children endanger not only them but others, threatening serious health problems."
German national health officials said today there were no current plans to make measles vaccinations mandatory.
But they said the government would ensure that parents receive advice on the need for immunisations when children start early child care.
Vaccination certificates would also be checked during regular doctors visits, a health ministry spokeswoman said.
She added that "if that doesn't help, other steps will have to be considered."
Berlin's prestigious Charite hospital said later in a short statement that it had treated the measles-infected child which had died and that the cause of death was "still being examined".
