Agencies Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Updated Wednesday, January 24, 2024-17:24

The European region of the

World Health Organization

(WHO) has suffered an

"alarming" rise in measles cases

in recent months, this organization warned today, calling for a boost to vaccination to stop contagion.

"Between January and October 2023, more than 30,000 cases of measles were recorded in 40 of the 53 member states of the region," which extends to Central Asia, indicated the European affiliate of the UN agency.

In 2022, there were 941 cases.

In addition, between January and October 2023 there were 20,918 measles hospitalizations and five deaths in two countries.

Kazakhstan and Russia are the most affected, with more than 10,000 cases each.

The United Kingdom, with 183 cases, is the Western European country where the rebound of the disease, which was considered eradicated in 2021, is most important.

Measles is a

highly contagious viral disease

that is transmitted through the air and can lead to fatal complications.

It has no specific treatment and can cause blindness, encephalitis, acute diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia.

The increase in cases is related, for the WHO, to a reduction in vaccination during the years of the covid pandemic.

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Measles, this is the almost perfect shield of the Spanish against the European threat

  • Editor: PILAR PÉREZ Madrid

Measles, this is the almost perfect shield of the Spanish against the European threat

"The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the performance of the vaccination system during this period, which has led to an accumulation of unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children," said WHO regional director Hans Kluge, quoted in the notice.

According to the WHO, more than 1.8 million newborns in the region were not vaccinated against this disease between 2020 and 2022.

At the local level, to avoid a resurgence of the virus, at least 95% of children must be vaccinated.

In 2022, 92% of European minors had received a second dose of the vaccine.

"Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. Urgent efforts are needed to stop transmission and prevent further spread. It is vital that all countries are prepared to quickly detect and respond in time to outbreaks of measles, which could jeopardize progress towards its elimination," recently noted the director of the WHO in Europe, Hans Henri P. Kluge.

Thus, to move forward again towards the elimination of measles, it is imperative that countries achieve and maintain

coverage greater than 95% with two doses of vaccines

that contain the measles vaccine.

Therefore, all countries must prioritize achieving high routine vaccination coverage and closing immunity gaps.