WHO reports 79% increase in measles cases

Officially registered measles cases rose by 79% in the world during the first two months of this year, according to what the World Health Organization announced on Wednesday.

In recent months, the World Health Organization has sounded the alarm about the possibility of an "absolute disaster" if the delay in vaccinating children due to the Covid-19 pandemic is not compensated and in the event of a hasty lifting of health restrictions.

Injuries increased by 79% during the first two months of 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

And the two United Nations organizations feared an epidemic of measles, which would affect "millions of children" in 2022.

So far, 17,338 cases of measles, a very contagious viral disease, were recorded in the world in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 cases during the first two months of 2021. However, the number may be much higher.

Very wide vaccination coverage is the best protection against measles.

A total of 21 measles outbreaks were recorded in the last 12 months, most of them in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The countries that have experienced the largest outbreaks of measles during the past year are Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has stopped vaccination mechanisms, health systems have suffered from high demand, and we are now witnessing the return of deadly diseases, including measles. The suspension of vaccination services will have repercussions on many other diseases for decades."

"It is time to put basic vaccination programs back on track and start compensation campaigns so that everyone can get these vital vaccines," he added.

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