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The number of measles cases last year hit a record high in nearly 25 years, nearly 870,000. The death rate increased by 50% compared to 2016, to nearly 210,000, WHO said Thursday in Geneva, which wants urgent action after Covid’s disruptions.
These increases are linked to the lack of vaccination of many children with the two required doses. The increase in cases has been steadily increasing since 2017. An immunization rate of 95% in a population is needed and maintained at both national and regional levels to control measles. However, coverage only reached about 85% for more than ten years for the first dose. That of the second dose increases but barely exceeds 70%.
In 2019, nine countries collected 73% of cases, often in vulnerable communities. “Unless we act really quickly in the face of this growing gap in countries identified as highly threatened“, these will have to face more”epidemics“and of”Death“, an official of the World Health Organization (WHO) explained to the press.
The number of cases reported this year appears to be on the decline, but restrictions related to Covid have stopped vaccination. Nearly 95 million in 26 countries may not be immunized. According to the WHO official, the situation is particularly worrying in several African countries, but all regions are affected. States whose response was already adequate fared better in the face of difficulties during the pandemic.
“We know how to prevent measles outbreaks and deaths“said for his part WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. According to him, these data should lead to greater efforts to support countries and communities for vaccinations.
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