Measles Outbreak is threatening the world. According to the most recent announcement from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. public health department, has emerged as one of the worst threat in the world.
Due of the virus’s rapid ability to cross national boundaries and infect several communities, measles poses a hazard everywhere. The measles has not been completely eradicated by any WHO zone. Since 2016, outbreaks and the reintroduction of transmission have occurred in ten nations that had previously eradicated the measles.
The WHO in its latest statement said, “There is now an imminent threat of measles spreading to different regions around the world,” as Covid-19 led to a steady decline in vaccination coverage and weakened surveillance of the disease.
“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky.
Measles outbreak illustrate weakness in immunization program
“Outbreak of measles illustrate weaknesses in immunization programs, but public health officials can use outbreak response to identify communities at risk, understand causes of under-vaccination, and help deliver locally tailored solutions to ensure vaccinations are available to all.”
Nearly 61 million doses of the measles vaccine were delayed or skipped in 2021 as a result of COVID-19-related delays in immunisation programmes in 18 different nations. The time is now for public health officials to step up immunisation efforts and boost surveillance as delays raise the likelihood of measles outbreaks.
The CDC and WHO urge all partners to work together in a coordinated manner at the international, regional, national, and local levels to discover and immunise all unprotected children, including those who were overlooked in the previous two years.
Measles outbreaks highlight flaws in vaccination campaigns and other crucial health services. Countries and international stakeholders must invest in effective surveillance systems to reduce the danger of outbreaks.
Global immunisation partners are still committed to supporting investments in enhancing surveillance as a way to quickly identify outbreaks, act quickly to contain them, and immunise all children who have not yet received protection from vaccine-preventable diseases under the Immunization Agenda 2030 global immunisation strategy.
Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses
Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses and is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. However, it requires 95% vaccination coverage to prevent community outbreaks.
Watch out for these MEASLES Symptoms
Measles outbreak 2022 pose grave threat to human and can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose (coryza), and red, watery eyes.
Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin, according to US CDC measles outbreak experts. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
In 2021, there were an estimated 9 million cases and 128 000 deaths from measles worldwide. Twenty-two countries experienced large and disruptive outbreaks. Declines in vaccine coverage, weakened measles surveillance, and continued interruptions and delays in immunization activities due to COVID-19, as well as persistent large outbreaks in 2022, mean that measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.
