According to WHO, the number of measles cases in Europe will increase 30-fold in 2023
Copenhagen (AFP) – Measles cases rose sharply in Europe last year, with more than 30,000 cases recorded, a 30-fold increase from 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday, calling for an intensification of the vaccination campaign.
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“Between January and October 2023, 40 of the region’s 53 member states reported more than 30,000 cases of measles,” which is spreading to Central Asia, the UN agency’s European office said. In 2022 there were 941 cases.
Kazakhstan and Russia have been the hardest hit, with more than 10,000 cases each. The United Kingdom, with 183 cases, is the western European country where the resurgence of a disease thought to have been eradicated in 2021 is most significant.
“We have seen not only a 30-fold increase in measles cases in the region, but also nearly 21,000 hospitalizations and five measles-related deaths. This is worrying,” WHO regional director Hans Kluge said as quoted in the statement.
“Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to curb transmission and prevent spread,” he added.
The rise of this highly contagious viral disease, which can lead to fatal complications and is transmitted through airborne droplets, is due to a reduction in vaccinations during the Covid pandemic.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the vaccination system during this period, leading to a backlog of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children,” he said.
More than 1.8 million newborns in the region were not vaccinated against the disease between 2020 and 2022, according to WHO.
At the local level, at least 95% of children need to be vaccinated to avoid a resurgence of the virus. In 2022, 92% of minors in Europe received a second dose of the vaccine.
© 2024 AFP