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The number of measles cases in the world has increased by almost 80%. – UNICEF alarms. It’s not everything. According to the organization, we are likely to face epidemics of other infectious diseases.
- In the first two months of this year, there were over 17 jobs worldwide. measles cases. It is about 8 thousand. more than in January and February 2021
- The cause is the coronavirus pandemic and the suspension of childhood vaccinations in many countries around the world
- According to UNICEF and WHO, we may soon witness an increase in the incidence of other dangerous infectious diseases
- In Poland, nine people fell ill with measles this year. A year ago, there were five cases in the same period
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Measles is coming back all over the world
The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted vaccination campaigns against diseases other than COVID-19 around the world, UNICEF, the UN children’s agency and the World Health Organization wrote jointly. This could create the conditions for a surge in infectious diseases and put the lives of millions of children at risk.
According to UN data, in January and February this year, more than 17 were reported worldwide. 300 cases of measles. A year ago, in the same period, there were 9 thousand. 600 cases. There have been 12 “major and devastating” measles outbreaks in the last 21 months (May to April), mostly in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Christopher Gregory, senior health advisor at UNICEF’s immunization department, said measles is “the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease” and that it is a wake-up call. – The measles is what we call a canary in a coal mine. So an indicator that shows us where the weaknesses are in the entire immune system, he said.
Yellow fever is another disease that is threatening to break out, he added. The incidence of West Africa is increasing. “We are most concerned about fragile countries where health systems face serious problems and where the effects of successive COVID-19 peaks are still being felt,” he said.
Somalia has had the highest number of measles cases in the last year – over 9 thousand Subsequently, we talk about Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Ethiopia, i.e. countries in which conflicts continue and the political situation is unstable. There are also concerns that the war in Ukraine could trigger a new wave of measles cases. This country had the highest measles incidence rate in Europe in 2017-19.
Vaccinations have been suspended
According to UN data, 2020 million children worldwide did not take advantage of routine measles vaccination due to COVID-19 in 23. This is the most in over a decade. 57 vaccination campaigns in 43 countries, postponed or detained at the start of the pandemic, are still pending. 203 million people are affected, most of them children.
World health organizations emphasize that COVID-19 is constantly engaging health systems around the world, distracting staff and attention from being vaccinated against dangerous, lethal infectious diseases.
“The impact of these disruptions on vaccination programs will be felt for decades,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It’s time to restore essential vaccinations and start catching-up campaigns so that everyone has access to these lifesaving vaccines, he added.
Gregory makes a similar point. The time has come to make childhood immunization at least as high as immunization against COVID-19, he believes.
Measles – what is this disease?
The best way to prevent measles from spreading is to vaccinate at least 95 percent. Then you can talk about population resistance. The UN underlines that many countries are very far from reaching this border. In Somalia, it is only 46 percent.
Measles is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract, caused by the measles virus (paramyxovirus). Although an effective vaccine has been developed, the disease remains one of the leading causes of death in children in developing countries. All children who lack immunity and have previously had contact with the virus are infected. Measles in children is much more severe than in adults.
Measles are characterized by a rash that appears all over the body and the presence of flu-like symptoms, e.g. cough, high temperature, runny nose. A child with measles should drink plenty of fluids and get as much rest as possible. In addition, it is important to isolate the patient so that measles is not passed on to other people.
Complications caused by measles are particularly serious, and they affect up to 30% of patients. sick, mainly the youngest unvaccinated patients. Then, bacterial pneumonia, middle ear and laryngitis may appear, diarrhea and convulsions may also occur, measles may also lead to blindness.
The most severe ailments concern especially young children, people with immunodeficiencies and the elderly. The most dangerous are neurological complications, such as primary encephalitis, meningitis, inflammation of the spinal cord, polyneuritis or cranial nerve inflammation, or subacute sclerosing encephalitis, which can be fatal.
Measles in adults now it is becoming more common and its symptoms are similar to those of children. The age of the patient plays an important role here – the older he is, the more severe and more dangerous the course of measles is, especially if the patient suffers from cardiovascular ailments.
Odra in Poland
According to the data of the National Institute of Public Health, the National Institute of Hygiene – PIB, from January 1 to April 15, 2022, nine cases of measles were found in Poland. In the same period of 2021, there were five cases. In the whole of 2021, 14 people fell ill, in 2020 – 29.
The coronavirus pandemic has reduced the number of measles cases in the past two years. However, doctors are concerned about the too low level of vaccination against this disease in Poland. In their opinion, the disease may soon manifest itself when there is no obligation to wear masks anymore.
– During the pandemic, we suffered less from infectious diseases of the respiratory system, but not only. An example is measles, which is also a drip-borne disease and has decreased significantly during the pandemic. And yet, before the COVID-19 pandemic, we had alarming spikes in the incidence of measles in Europe. It looked very menacing and suddenly disappeared. Of course, there is a reason. The reasons are masks and covid lockdown – explained prof. Andrzej M. Fal, specialist in internal diseases and allergology, head of the Department of Allergology, Lung Diseases and Internal Diseases at the Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw in an interview.
UNICEF Poland constantly reminds about the progressive decline in the number of children receiving vaccines included in the calendar of compulsory vaccinations against infectious diseases. This is especially true of diseases such as measles, rubella and mumps.
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More and more parents are refusing vaccinations. According to the National Institute of Public Health PZH – PIB, the number of refusals in Poland has increased almost fourteen times in recent years. In 2010, 3 thousand. 437 exemptions from compulsory vaccinations, in 2016 there were 23 thousand. 147 repealing, in 2019 already 48 thousand. 609, and in 2020 – 50 thousand. 575.
– The measles virus has a high reproduction rate, so to be safe it must be around 95 percent. – Barbara Hasiec, MD, a specialist in paediatrics and infectious diseases, said recently in an interview with Medonet.
According to the data of the National Institute of Hygiene, the percentage of children vaccinated with the basic dose of MMR (combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) in Poland fell below this limit already in 2017 and is constantly falling. Currently, it is around 92 percent. That means we’ve lost herd immunity to measles.