Researchers say the number of measles cases worldwide is set to nearly double between 2022 and 2023, creating a challenge for many countries to achieve and maintain elimination status.
In 2022, there were 171,153 cases of rubella worldwide, according to Dr Patrick O’Connor of the World Health Organization (WHO), who presented the study at the WHO Global Congress in Barcelona last week.
Preliminary figures show 321,582 cases in 2023 and more than 94,000 so far in 2024, although the number of cases is likely to be much higher.
Almost half of this year’s cases have been in the WHO European Region, with the highest incidence in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Yemen.
On the other hand, in the United States (USA), measles was declared eradicated in 2000, “this means that the disease does not spread in the country and new cases are detected only when someone contracts measles abroad and returns”, according to the Center for Disease Control in the USA (CDC). . However, the sharp rise in cases this year threatens the disease’s eradication status, the organization says.
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets. It can cause serious health consequences or death, especially in young and unvaccinated children.
General symptoms may include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a rash with red spots. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the US who get measles will be hospitalized. About 1 in 20 children with measles will develop pneumonia, while others may develop a dangerous swelling of the brain called encephalitis. Up to 3 out of every 1,000 children who contract measles can die from respiratory and neurological complications.
O’Connor said measles vaccination has prevented an estimated 57 million deaths between 2000 and 2022.
The vaccine is considered very effective. One dose is 93% effective against measles, and two doses are 97% effective. Vaccinated people can still get sick, but it doesn’t happen often and the infection is usually mild.
Measles is “a crisis among many crises,” O’Connor said in his presentation, adding that about 45 percent of outbreaks are in conflict-affected and fragile countries.
“Remarkable progress has been made in the last 20 years towards the eradication of measles and rubella,” he concluded. “To consolidate these gains, we need to ensure uniformly high and equitable routine immunization coverage, as well as a strong and rapid response to disease outbreaks,” adds O’Connor.
Be the first to find out what is being talked about in Latvia and the world by joining us on the Telegram or Whatsapp channel.
