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Measles cases spiked around the world in the first two months of
2022, triggering worries about even larger outbreaks, the UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO)
warned, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January
and February 2022, compared with 9,665 during the first two months
of 2021. As measles is very contagious, cases tend to show up
quickly when vaccination levels decline, said UNICEF in a press
release.
As of April 2022, the two agencies reported 21 large and
disruptive measles outbreaks around the world in the last 12
months. Most of the measles cases were reported in Africa and the
East Mediterranean region. The figures are likely higher as the
COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted surveillance systems globally, with
potential underreporting.
Countries with the largest measles outbreaks in the past 12
months include Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia.
Insufficient measles vaccine coverage is the major reason for
outbreaks, wherever they occur, said UNICEF.
Coverage at or above 95 percent with two doses of the safe and
effective measles vaccine can protect children against measles.
However, COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions have delayed the
introduction of the second dose of the measles vaccine in many
countries.
The risk for large outbreaks has increased as communities relax
social distancing practices and other preventive measures for
COVID-19. In addition, with millions of people being displaced due
to conflicts and crises, disruptions in routine immunization and
COVID-19 vaccination services, lack of clean water and sanitation,
and overcrowding increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease
outbreaks, warned UNICEF.
Apart from its direct effect on the body, which can be lethal,
the measles virus also weakens the immune system and makes a child
more vulnerable to other infectious diseases like pneumonia and
diarrhea, it said.
“Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly
disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our
global immunization coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot
afford,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “It is
encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel
protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities.
But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine
vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease
like measles.”
In 2020, 23 million children missed out on basic childhood
vaccines through routine health services, the highest number since
2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019, said UNICEF.
As of April 1 this year, 57 vaccine-preventable disease
campaigns in 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since
the start of the pandemic were still put on hold, impacting 203
million people, most of them children. Of these, 19 are measles
campaigns, which put 73 million children at risk of measles due to
missed vaccinations, it said.
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