More Than Half the World Faces High Risk of Measles Outbreaks Following ‘Big Gaps’ in Immunizations, WHO Says

More than half the world will be at “high or very high risk” of measles outbreaks by the end of 2024, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Earlier this week, the global group warned that the viral infection — which is also known as rubella — is on the rise around the world due to the high number of missed vaccinations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What worries us is that this year, 2024, we have big gaps in our immunization programs, and if we don’t fill them very quickly with a vaccine, measles is just going to jump into that gap,” Natasha Crowcroft, senior technical adviser on measles and rubella at WHO, he said during a press briefing in Geneva.

“We can see, from the data that the CDC has produced with the WHO data, that more than half of all countries in the world will be at high or very high risk of an outbreak by the end of this year,” she added.

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Measles virus test.

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The number of measles deaths has almost doubled worldwide due to lack of vaccination during the pandemic

Measles, according to the WHO, is “a highly contagious, serious, airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death.”

Although it is most common in children, it can affect anyone. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body.

More than 300,000 cases were reported worldwide last year, representing a 79 percent increase compared to 2022, Crowcroft said on behalf of the WHO.

Global vaccination rates, she added, have fallen to 83 percent. The death toll has not yet been finalized, Crowcroft revealed.

Vaccination.

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The Philadelphia measles outbreak involves exposure to a daycare center after parents did not follow quarantine rules

A total of 20 measles cases have been reported in 11 jurisdictions across the United States this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia have all had cases, the organization said.

Several large studies have shown that vaccines are safe. There is no scientific link between vaccines and autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education