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72 people killed by measles in 2018, according to official WHO figures
Adrian O & # 39; Dowd
Friday, February 8, 2019
The number of measles cases in Europe has tripled between 2017 and 2018 to reach 82,596, according to the latest figures * released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO said that even though the number of children vaccinated against measles in the European region of WHO was higher than ever, progress has been uneven across countries and within those leaving more and more groups of unprotected sensitive people with a record number of people affected by the virus.
Measles killed 72 children and adults in the European region in 2018, said WHO, and according to the country's monthly reports for the period from January to December of last year, 82,596 people in 47 of the 53 countries contracted measles.
The total number of people infected with the virus in 2018 was the highest of the decade, three times the total reported in 2017 and 15 times the record number of people reached in 2016.
In countries reporting hospitalization data for 2018, 61% of measles cases were hospitalized.
The WHO said the "outbreak" of measles cases in 2018 followed a year in which the European region reached its highest level of coverage ever estimated for the second dose of measles vaccination – 90 % in 2017.
According to their country's immunization schedule, more children from the region received the full two-dose series in time in 2017 than any other year since the WHO began collecting data on the second dose in 2000.
Coverage with the first dose of the vaccine also increased slightly to 95% – the highest level since 2013.
While vaccination coverage overall improved in the region, many people were still susceptible, warned WHO.
The estimated coverage with the second dose of measles vaccine was below the 95% threshold to prevent circulation in 34 countries in the region in 2017, and subnational coverage rates indicated disparities even within countries.
the European Action Plan for Vaccines 2015-2020 presents a strategy approved by the 53 Member States to eliminate measles and rubella.
It is important to note that at least 95% of each population must be immunized, through two doses of vaccine or prior exposure to the virus, to ensure the protection of the community of all – including including babies too young to be vaccinated and others who can not be immunized because of existing diseases. and medical conditions.
Dr. Nedret Emiroglu, Director of the Division of Health Emergencies and Communicable Diseases at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, said: "Progress made in achieving high national coverage are commendable.
"However, it can not make us blind to the people and places we still miss. It is here that we must now focus our efforts. "
Most countries with suboptimal immunization coverage for measles in the region were middle-income countries.
In the United Kingdom, there were 953 cases of measles in 2018, as against 53,218 in Ukraine, 5,076 in Serbia, 2,919 in Israel and 2,913 in France, while some countries had none.
Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: "The situation in 2018 clearly shows that the current rate of increase in vaccination rate will be insufficient to stop the circulation of measles.
"Although the data indicate exceptionally high immunization coverage at the regional level, they also reflect a record number of people affected and killed by the disease. This means that gaps at the local level still offer an open door to the virus. "
* WHO EpiData, No. 1/2019, January 2018 – December 2018. WHO data, received on 1 February 2019.
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