Europe facing a measles epidemic
The News
Measles, a vaccine-preventable disease, is re-emerging in parts of Europe, including Britain. Small outbreaks have also appeared in several parts of the United States.
In Europe, reported cases of measles increased more than 40-fold last year compared to to 2022, according to the WHO. The organization said Tuesday. Nearly a third of these cases have occurred in Kazakhstan, where the outbreak is largely attributed to children who have not received routine vaccinations. (The country straddles Europe and Asia; the WHO considers it part of the “European Region.”) Experts fear the virus could spread beyond Kazakhstan.
Most cases in the United States are linked to travel outside the country. The number of cases reported last year was lower than in most years before the pandemic.
A single dose of the measles vaccine is 93% effective in stopping the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Credit... Brian Snyder/ReutersSome cases of measles can be mild, but up to half of infected children may need medical attention, said Dr. David Sugerman, who leads the team to measles control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Children with measles may develop diarrhea and dehydration, pneumonia leading to long-term difficulty breathing term and brain inflammation leading to neurological problems, Dr. Sugerman said.
For every 1,000 cases in children, a child can become deaf or intellectually disabled,...
Measles, a vaccine-preventable disease, is re-emerging in parts of Europe, including Britain. Small outbreaks have also appeared in several parts of the United States.
In Europe, reported cases of measles increased more than 40-fold last year compared to to 2022, according to the WHO. The organization said Tuesday. Nearly a third of these cases have occurred in Kazakhstan, where the outbreak is largely attributed to children who have not received routine vaccinations. (The country straddles Europe and Asia; the WHO considers it part of the “European Region.”) Experts fear the virus could spread beyond Kazakhstan.
Most cases in the United States are linked to travel outside the country. The number of cases reported last year was lower than in most years before the pandemic.
A single dose of the measles vaccine is 93% effective in stopping the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Credit... Brian Snyder/ReutersSome cases of measles can be mild, but up to half of infected children may need medical attention, said Dr. David Sugerman, who leads the team to measles control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Children with measles may develop diarrhea and dehydration, pneumonia leading to long-term difficulty breathing term and brain inflammation leading to neurological problems, Dr. Sugerman said.
For every 1,000 cases in children, a child can become deaf or intellectually disabled,...
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