According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, the measles crisis remains a prevalent problem.
A joint report released by the agencies on Friday reported an 18 percent increase in measles cases and a 43 percent increase in measles deaths from 2021 to 2022. A drop in the number of available vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic was attributed as a contributing factor.
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“In 2022, measles vaccination coverage and global surveillance showed some recovery from the failure of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, coverage declined in low-income countries, and globally, years of suboptimal immunization coverage left millions of children unprotected,” it said. report.
As the number of measles cases globally increased from 7,802,000 to 9,232,300, the number of countries experiencing devastating outbreaks also increased from 22 to 37. Deaths from the disease rose to 136,200 in 2022. Agencies estimated that 57 million measles deaths averted by vaccination from 2000 to 2022.
Stock image of MMR vaccine.
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“The increase in measles outbreaks and deaths is incredible, but unfortunately not unexpected given the decline in vaccination rates we’ve seen in recent years,” John Vertefeuille, director of the CDC’s Division of Global Immunization, said in a news release. “Measles cases anywhere pose a risk to all countries and communities where people are under-vaccinated. Urgent, targeted efforts are essential to prevent illness and death from measles.”
According to the CDC and WHO, it is possible to prevent a significant increase in the disease. Their report states that “urgent reversal of coverage failures that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic can be achieved by renewing efforts to vaccinate all children with 2 doses of MCV and strengthening surveillance, thereby preventing outbreaks and accelerating progress toward measles elimination.”
The World Health Organization’s website states that vaccination is “the best way to prevent getting measles or spreading it to other people.”
Although measles is most common in children, the agency explains that the disease is highly contagious and can spread when an infected person “breathes, coughs or rains.”
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It enters the body by infecting the respiratory tract and can cause symptoms that include high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body, according to the WHO.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education