According to the Murcia Health Ministry, eight cases of measles have now been confirmed. That is double the number reported earlier this month, according to The Sun.
Measles spreads very easily through coughing and sneezing, and the disease can cause fever, coughing, and a red rash across the body.
The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) says that, in severe cases, the disease can lead to complications and death.
Many cases across Europe
The outbreak in Spain comes as more than 6,000 measles cases have been recorded across Europe over the past year. According to the WHO, children under the age of five are particularly vulnerable.
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The disease can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, and seizures, among other complications.
Figures from European health authorities also show that adults are becoming infected.
Authorities monitoring the situation
Spanish authorities say that several of the infected individuals have been in contact with one another. At the same time, efforts to identify new cases have become faster than earlier in the outbreak.
A theory suggesting that the outbreak began at a christening was later dismissed following investigations.
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Health authorities are urging both children and adults to get vaccinated against measles in order to limit the spread of the disease.
Sources: The Sun, ECDC and WHO.
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