4 crore children who could not take the vaccine are at risk of measles, cases increased in India too; WHO told how the situation worsened

In many states of India, children are falling prey to measles disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDS) attribute this to a decline in vaccination. WHO and CDS say that measles vaccination has declined significantly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, around 40 million children worldwide did not receive a dose of the measles vaccine.

Measles outbreak worldwide

Millions of children are now vulnerable to measles, one of the world's most contagious diseases, the WHO and the CDC said in a report released Wednesday. In 2021, around 9 million measles infection cases were reported worldwide and 128,000 deaths occurred during this period. WHO and the CDC say that in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, every region of the world is at risk of measles disease as a result of continued declines in vaccination coverage, weak disease surveillance, and vaccine delays due to COVID-19.

Measles cases are increasing in India too

In India too, measles disease is spreading rapidly among children, about which the Central Health Department has become alert. To contain the disease, the Center has decided to deploy high-level multidisciplinary 3-member teams in three states. These teams will assist state health authorities in setting up public health measures.

A severe outbreak of measles in 22 countries

According to the report of WHO and CDC, in 2021, about 40 million children worldwide could not take the dose of measles vaccine due to some reason. 2 crore 50 lakh children did not take their first dose, while 1 crore 47 lakh children missed their second dose. As a result, 22 countries faced large and severe outbreaks.

This is how measles spreads, 95% of deaths in developing countries like India...!

Doctors say that measles mostly spreads through direct contact or air. Measles causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are due to complications including brain swelling and dehydration. The World Health Organization says severe complications are most serious in children under the age of five and adults over the age of 30. More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia.

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