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The paper, released today, states that "because of gaps in immunization coverage, measles outbreaks have occurred in all regions", with "about 110,000 disease-related deaths" .
With the help of updated data from disease projection models, the report provides more comprehensive estimates of the evolution of measles over the last 17 years, showing that since 2000, more than 21 million lives have been saved through vaccination against the disease.
However, the number of reported cases has increased by more than 30% globally since 2016.
The Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean region and Europe have experienced the largest epidemics in 2017, with the Western Pacific being the only region of the World Health Organization (WHO) where the disease has been reported. incidence of measles decreased.
"The reappearance of measles is a source of serious concern, with prolonged outbreaks occurring between regions, especially in countries that have reached or were about to reach the elimination of measles", said Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General of WHO Programs.
According to the report, "without urgent efforts to increase immunization coverage and identify populations where the number of unvaccinated children is unacceptable, there is a risk of losing decades of progress in protecting children and communities from this. devastating plague, but totally free. " avoidable ".
Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease. It can lead to debilitating or life-threatening complications, including encephalitis (an infection that causes swelling of the brain), severe diarrhea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections, and permanent loss of vision. Infants and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death.
The disease can be prevented through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. However, for several years, overall coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine stopped at 85%.
The report states that this figure "is far from the 95% required to prevent epidemics and leaves many people vulnerable in many communities to the disease.The second dose accounts for 67% of the coverage".
The increase in the number of measles cases "is deeply troubling, but not surprising: complacency with the disease and dissemination of false information about the vaccine in Europe, collapse of the health system in Venezuela and pockets of fragility and Low immunization coverage in Africa is combining for a global resurgence of measles after years of progress, "said Seth Berkley, administrator of Gavi, Vaccine Alliance, cited in the WHO document.
"More efforts are needed to increase routine immunization coverage and strengthen health systems, otherwise we will continue to look for an epidemic after the other," he added.
The report notes that in response to recent epidemics, health agencies are calling for sustained investment in immunization systems, coupled with efforts to strengthen routine immunization services, believing that these efforts should be focused in particular poor and marginalized people, including those affected by conflict and displaced persons.
The agencies also demand that steps be taken to elicit broad public support for immunization, while fighting misinformation and hesitations about vaccines where they exist, he said.
"Sustained investments are needed to strengthen the provision of immunization services and use every opportunity to deliver vaccines to those who need them," said Robert Linkins, Head of the Department for Accelerated Disease Surveillance and Surveillance. preventable diseases through vaccination in control centers. and prevention of the disease.
More than 13,400 cases of measles have been reported in the past year in 30 European countries, including 126 in Portugal, according to a report by the European Center for Disease Control.
The balance of 13,453 cases of measles corresponds to the period between the beginning of October of the last year and the end of September of this year.
Thirty-two suspected cases of measles were recorded in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions in 22 of these cases, according to figures from the Directorate General of Health. Of the cases confirmed by the National Institute of Health Ricardo Jorge, 20 adults and two children.
Lusa
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