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Measles, the highly contagious viral disease mostly affecting children, is making a rapid global comeback.
Measles deaths had plummeted worldwide by 74% between 2000 and 2007, from an estimated 7.5 lakh to 1.97 lakh annually.
But the World Health Organisation now says that the rapid comeback threatens to roll back the progress made through vaccination campaigns during the past 18 years.
Dr Peter Strebel from WHO's department of immunization and vaccines admitted that anti-measles efforts had suffered from inadequate funding and lack of political commitment since 2008.
As a result there have been major measles outbreaks in 37 countries across the world since last year, 30 of them in Africa. During the same period, more than 64,000 measles cases have been reported and there have been more than 1,100 measles deaths in the African region alone.
WHO now fears that the combined effects of decreased financial and poor political commitment could lead to over five lakh deaths a year by 2012, wiping out the gains that had been made.
Strebel said, "Targets are set for 2015 and are to achieve at least 90% measles vaccination coverage nationally and 80% coverage in every district, reduce measles cases to less than five per million population, reduce measles mortality by 95% compared to 2000 levels."
Measles is mainly caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family, with serious complications being blindness, encephalitis, diarrhoea, ear infections and pneumonia.
Originally posted by Wayne60
Will this be one of the next vaccinations we will be told to get? At least for our children and grandchildren?
Originally posted by brilab45
I find this very alarming. I was born in 1966. They stopped vaccinating the year before. So.......yes, I am alarmed.
It's amazing this so called disease was declared annihilated. I do not have immunization against this. Yes....I am afraid of this.
Thanx OP for bringing this up.
In the News
2010 Measles Update
This information is current as of today, May 23, 2010 at 10:40 EDT
Updated: April 22, 2010
Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world. Worldwide, an estimated 10 million cases and 164,000 deaths from measles occur each year. Measles is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among young children. Measles outbreaks are common in many areas, including Europe. Although the risk for exposure to measles can be high for many U.S. travelers and citizens living in other countries (expatriates), the illness can be prevented by a vaccination.
Recent Outbreak Activity
Some examples of current measles activity include recent measles outbreaks have occurred in the Philippines and several countries in Africa.
* During January and February 2010, more than 1,300 cases of measles (including five deaths) were reported throughout the Philippines. Of these cases, more than 740 cases have been laboratory or clinically confirmed, which is twice as many confirmed measles cases as during the same time period last year. Measles outbreaks have been reported in the capital city of Manila and in 10 other areas of the country.
* Over the past year, several African countries have reported high numbers of measles cases. South Africa has had an ongoing outbreak of measles and has reported more than 9,000 confirmed cases during January 1, 2009 through March 12, 2010. Measles cases are being reported throughout the country, but a majority of the cases are occurring in Gauteng Province.
Because of the risk of measles in both developed and developing countries, all international travelers should be up to date on immunizations, regardless of the travel destination. In addition, expatriates should make sure they are vaccinated against measles, especially in areas where outbreaks are occurring, such as the countries listed above.
Childhood Vaccination Rates High, but Measles Re-emerging
Donya Currie
Posted: 11/18/2008; Nations Health. 2008;38(9) © 2008 American Public Health Association
Although vaccination rates for children are at an all-time high in the United States, measles cases are at the highest level in more than a decade, with nearly half of U.S. measles cases among children whose parents rejected vaccination.
Childhood immunization rates remain at or near record levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with at least 90 percent coverage for all but one of the individual vaccines in the recommended series for young children. More than 77 percent of children were fully vaccinated in 2007. There were no differences in coverage among any racial or ethnic group for the recommended series of vaccines, and fewer than 1 percent of U.S. children had received no vaccine by age 19 months to 35 months in 2007, according to the Sept. 5 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Did the other nearly 50% of cases come from those who had the vaccination?
with nearly half of U.S. measles cases among children whose parents rejected vaccination