Key points

• COVID-19 led to a steady decline in measles vaccination coverage.
• The WHO and US CDC say there is now an imminent threat of measles spreading in various regions globally.
• A record high of nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose in 2021 due to hurdles created by the pandemic.

Washington: There is now an imminent threat of measles spreading in various regions globally, as COVID-19 led to a steady decline in vaccination coverage and weakened surveillance of the disease, the World Health Organisation and the US public health agency said on Wednesday.

Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses and is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. However, it requires 95 per cent vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks among populations.

The WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81 per cent of children received their first dose of measles vaccine while 71 per cent get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.

A registered nurse and immunisation outreach coordinator administers a vaccination in Mount Vernon, Ohio in 2019.Credit:AP

A record high of nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose in 2021 due to hurdles created by the COVID pandemic, the WHO and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a joint report.

While measles cases have not yet gone up dramatically compared to previous years, now is the time to act, the WHO’s measles lead, Patrick O’Connor, told Reuters.

“We are at a crossroads,” he said on Tuesday. “It is going to be a very challenging 12-24 months trying to mitigate this.”

A combination of factors like lingering social distancing measures and cyclical nature of measles may explain why there has not yet been an explosion of cases despite the widening immunity gaps, but that could change quickly, said O’Connor, pointing out the highly contagious nature of the disease.

The WHO has already seen an increase of large disruptive outbreaks since the start of 2022, rising from 19 to almost 30 by September, O’Connor said, adding that he was particularly worried about parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.

“The record number of children under-immunised and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunisation systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.

In July, the UN said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunisations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.

Reuters, AP

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.

Most Viewed in World

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article