Measles infections in Europe are at their highest in a decade



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According to the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Europe, 82,596 cases were recorded last year, three times more than the previous year. Seventy-two (children and adults) died of measles last year, while 61% of the hospital

"The number of reported cases is the highest of this decade," said the WHO in a statement released Thursday, noting that the figures "represent three times the total number reported in 2017 and 15 times the number of people affected in 2016 ". The disease has been reported in 2018 in 47 out of 53 countries where cases are treated at the hospital.

92% of cases were reported in 10 countries: Ukraine, 53 218 cases, followed by Serbia 5076, Israel 2919, France 2913, Italy 2517, Russia 2256, Georgia 2203, Greece 2193, Albania 1466, Romania 1987.

At the same time, a record number of children are getting vaccinated, which gives hope that the high number of infections will not last. "Progress has been uneven across countries and within one country, leaving more and more vulnerable vulnerable people unprotected, resulting in a record number of people infected with HIV by 2018," says the press release.

Measures to contain the epidemic include citizen awareness, vaccination of health personnel and identification of people who have not been vaccinated in the past.

Although vaccination rates are improving, some say that vaccination coverage is not enough to prevent the spread of the virus in many countries and that vaccination campaigns should cover about 95% of the population for prevent the spread of the virus.

In many countries, immunization campaigns seek to discourage parents from immunizing their children, despite strong scientific evidence that vaccines are safe and effective.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and remains one of the leading causes of death among young children around the world, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. It can cause hearing loss and brain disorders in children, or even death in severe cases.

According to the World Health Organization, measles infection is transmitted by droplets from the nose, mouth or throat. Initial symptoms, usually 10 to 12 days after infection, include severe fever, runny nose, eye congestion and small white spots inside the mouth. A few days later, the patient develops a rash that appears first on the face and neck and spreads gradually to the lower body.

Severe cases of measles occur most often in malnourished young children, especially in cases of vitamin A deficiency or in patients with HIV / AIDS or other diseases of the immune system. The most serious complications are blindness, encephalitis (encephalitis), severe diarrhea, associated droughts and serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

(Reuters, the new Arabic)

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