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The number of measles cases in the United States has reached the highest since the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000. New cases reported April 24 by officials in New York have pushed the number of measles cases in the United States from 2019 to surpbad the previous record of 667 cases in 2014, according to the Associated Press. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should provide their next national update on April 29th.
Years of inadequate measles immunization coverage around the world have paved the way for a resurgence in the United States as well as in many other countries. An estimated 169 million children worldwide have not been vaccinated against measles between 2010 and 2017, an average of 21.1 million a year, according to data released on April 24 by the 39, UNICEF to launch World Immunization Week.
"We are unhappy in 2019 when it comes to the fight against measles, given that we have a vaccine that is as effective, safe and very inexpensive," said Robin Nandy, who is in charge of immunization for measles. UNICEF in New York.
Missing measles shots
Globally, 169 million children have not been vaccinated against measles between 2010 and 2017, according to figures released by UNICEF. Most live in countries that are struggling to vaccinate everyone because of conflict, limited health services or lack of access to vaccines. However, even countries with the necessary resources to ensure widespread immunization lack children, largely because of the refusal of their parents' vaccination. Here are the top 10 high-income countries with the highest number of children who have not been vaccinated against the infectious disease.
| Country | Unvaccinated children | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | 2,593,000 |
| 2 | la France | 608,000 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 527,000 |
| 4 | Argentina | 438,000 |
| 5 | Italy | 435,000 |
| 6 | Japan | 374,000 |
| 7. | Canada | 287,000 |
| 8 | Germany | 168,000 |
| 9 | Australia | 138,000 |
| ten. | Chile | 136,000 |
Source: UNICEF and WHO
Among the high-income countries, the United States is at the top of the list of countries with the highest number of children who have not received measles vaccine. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, reports that more than 2.5 million American children have not been vaccinated against the virus between 2010 and 2017. France ranks second, with more than 600,000 in those years, followed by 527,000 in the United Kingdom. High figures in the United States and Europe are mainly explained by parental resistance to vaccines (SN online: 30/11/18).
"Measles is no longer just a problem of low-income countries or countries affected by conflict," Nandy said. "It's a risk everywhere."
According to the CDC, about 91% of American children received at least one measles vaccine in 2017. (Two are recommended for the highest degree of protection.) But this level of coverage is not uniform across the country, which creates pockets of vulnerability. Generalized immunization rates of approximately 92-95% are needed to establish collective immunity against the virus and prevent epidemics (SN online: 15/04/19).
In developing countries, failure to vaccinate usually boils down to a lack of vaccines or funding, logistical challenges in reaching rural areas, or ongoing conflict. In 2017 alone, Nigeria had 4 million children who had forgotten the first dose of measles vaccine before their first birthday. India had 2.9 million, while Pakistan and Indonesia each had 1.2 million.
According to the World Health Organization, the number of measles cases reported worldwide was higher in the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. By the end of March, 170 countries had notified 112,163 cases of measles, according to preliminary data. In comparison, WHO confirmed 89,482 cases for the same period in 2018. Outbreaks are currently underway in the world, including the United States, Israel, the Philippines, Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar and in Ukraine.
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