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From VOA Learning English, this is the Health and lifestyle report.
Measles can be transmitted easily from one person to another, but it is an entirely preventable disease.
The World Health Organization notes that an effective and safe vaccine has protected billions of children against measles over the past 50 years.
However, all these advances are now under threat.
Katherine O'Brien is Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO. She says progress is threatened by the failure of childhood immunization around the world.
"Measles as a virus is one of the most serious contagious infections that there is. For every case of measles that occurs in an environment where people are not immune, nine to ten other cases will simply occur because of exposure in this case. "
Measles is a virus. He lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. "It can be passed on to others through cough and sneeze, "Reports the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Measles is spread by droplets in the air. The virus can live for up to two hours on surfaces where the infected person coughs or sneezes. If other people touch the surface or breathe the same air, they may become ill.
Signs of the disease
Signs of measles include:
- high body temperature
- cough
- runny nose
- red and watery eyes
- small white areas inside the mouth
- a discoloration of the skin (it starts on the face and spreads down.)
A skin reckless is the clearest sign that a person has the disease. However, the person can be contagious until four days before the onset of rash. Thus, the infected person may not know she is sick and then pass the virus on to others.
How many cases in the world?
The WHO said that 229,000 cases of measles had been reported last year in the world. But officials at the WHO are not sure of the exact number. They say that the number of reported cases represents less than 10% of actual cases.
Thus, the disease infects millions of other people. And millions do not get vaccinated. In 2017, the WHO reported that more than 19.9 million people were not protected against measles.
Katrina Kertsinger is a WHO doctor in the Expanded Program on Immunization. She says that there was measles The epidemics in all parts of Africa, including the island of Madagascar.
The WHO reports that in poor countries, many children are not vaccinated because they do not live near clinics. In richer countries, measles vaccine is widely available. However, some parents sometimes choose not to vaccinate their children because of claims that the vaccine is dangerous.
The largest shopping centerAnti-vaxxer movement in the United States
In the United States, health officials urge parents to vaccinate their children against measles. Some parents oppose vaccines for moral, religious, personal or philosophical reasons.
US health experts announced 19 years ago that the disease no longer posed a threat to the public. Yet 18 states give parents the right not to vaccinate their children.
One of these states is Washington in the Pacific Northwest. A recent measles outbreak in which health officials worked hard to contain it. On February 5, 50 cases of measles were reported in Washington.
In the United States, rural areas often have a higher number of unvaccinated children. But there are also a large number of people in some big cities, such as Houston, Austin and Seattle.
Measles makes people very sick and particularly dangerous for young children. This can lead to other health problems such as pneumonia or encephalitis. Encephalitis is swelling or hypertrophy of the brain. This can be fatal or lead to permanent disability.
Doctors, including American surgeon Jerome Adams, urge parents to vaccinate their children.
"As a general surgeon in the United States, I want everyone to know that the best protection against measles is to get vaccinated."
And this is the Health and lifestyle report. I am Anna Matteo.
Carol Pearson reported in Washington, DC and Lisa Schelin in Geneva. Anna Matteo adapted her reports to learn English. George Grow was the publisher.
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Measles progresses at risk around the world
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Words in this story
contagious – adj. have an illness that can be passed on to someone else by touching
immune – adj. not able to be affected by an illness
exposure – not. the fact or the condition of being subjected to an effect or influence
mucus – not. a thick fluid produced in certain parts of the body (such as the nose and throat)
cough – v. force the air in the throat with a loud and brief sound, often because you are sick
sneeze – v. suddenly force the air out through the nose and mouth with a generally loud noise because your body reacts to dust, disease, etc.
reckless – not. a group of red spots on the skin caused by a disease or reaction to something
release – not. a sudden start or increase in fighting or illness
anti-vaxxer – a person who opposes vaccinations or laws that require vaccination
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