Urgent Alert: India’s Battle Against Massive Measles Outbreak – Second Hardest Hit Worldwide!
In 2023, India encountered a significant measles outbreak, with 65,150 reported cases, positioning it as the second most affected country after the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Globally, measles cases rose by 20%, totaling 10.3 million, while related deaths increased by 8% to 107,500.
Measles, a contagious viral infection known for symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose, skin blotches, and sore throat, can result in severe complications, including brain swelling and death. Despite being preventable through immunization, vaccination coverage has stagnated. The report highlights that global coverage for the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) dropped to 81% during the COVID-19 pandemic and only slightly improved to 83% by 2023.
Region-specific data reveals that in WHO’s Southeast Asia region, MCV1 coverage reached pre-pandemic levels of 94% in 2022 but slightly declined to 91% in 2023. Similarly, the second dose (MCV-2) showed a minor dip from 86% to 85% in the same period, although remaining above pre-pandemic levels.
Alarmingly, 22.2 million children worldwide missed their first vaccine dose, marking a 2% increase in unvaccinated children compared to previous years. Notably, two countries from the Southeast Asia region rank among the top ten with the highest numbers of infants missing their doses. In the previous year, around 1.1 million Indian children missed their first vaccine dose, although the government reported an increase in MCV1 coverage to 93% in 2023.
The report underscores the urgent need for enhanced immunization efforts to curb measles outbreaks and prevent preventable deaths, drawing attention to the critical role of vaccination in safeguarding public health.
Original Story https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/who-flags-measles-outbreak-india-second-nations-hit-9671475/
Category : Health and Wellness
Tags:
Publish Date: 2024-11-15 16:22:00
