A measles outbreak at an Islamic primary school in Rotterdam reportedly began after a student's visit to Morocco during the spring break, AD reported on Thursday. Risala School quickly saw a surge in cases, with 50 students reported sick by early this week, prompting its closure. The Rotterdam-Rijnmond Public Health Service (GGD) believes the student contracted the virus in Morocco, where a large-scale outbreak is ongoing. After the first case was reported following the break, the number of infected students grew rapidly—21 cases were reported the previous week, 32 on Friday, and 50 by Monday. Morocco has been experiencing a surge in measles cases, prompting the government to launch a vaccination campaign. The country has recorded 20,000 cases over the past year and a half. To contain the outbreak, the school took immediate action, closing for a week to prevent further infections. Students are now taking classes online, while younger children have received lesson packages to continue their education at home. «We did everything possible to prevent a measles outbreak, but the only option left was to close the school», said Cihan Gerdan, head of Sipor, the school board overseeing Risala and other Islamic schools, in an interview with AD. Vaccination rates in the neighborhood where Risala is located remain low, making the outbreak harder to contain. To combat the spread, a special vaccination drive was organized, with 46 children receiving either booster shots or their first dose. This is not the first time recent measles cases in the Netherlands have been linked to Morocco. Earlier in March, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported 45 new measles cases in the past two weeks, with at least 17 infections traced back to Morocco. Similar trends have also been observed in France, Spain, and Belgium.
