Measles cases have increased by more than 30% globally in 2017

Measles cases, an extremely contagious disease, have increased by more than 30% globally in 2017 compared to 2016 and have left 110,000 dead, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday.

The most important outbreaks of the disease have been detected on the American continent, in the Eastern Mediterranean and in Europe ", suggesting that we are backing away," said Martin Friede, head of WHO's Vaccines Department, in front of the media.

"The number of measles cases reported has peaked in 2017, and several countries have been victims of serious and prolonged outbreaks," the organization said in a statement.

For Dr. Seth Berkley, executive director of the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), this increase in the number of cases is not surprising.

There has been in Europe "false information about the vaccine" while in countries like Venezuela, the increase is due to "the collapse of the health system" and in Africa to the "low coverage "Immunization campaigns," says Berkley.

It is only in the Western Pacific that the number of cases has decreased.

"What is more troubling, if possible, in the increase in the number of reported cases, is that we confirmed a continuous transmission of measles in countries that have not experienced transmission of the disease." measles for several years, "explained the expert.

In many developed countries, mistrust of vaccines has increased because of campaigns combining such treatments with phenomena such as autism.

"In the absence of rapid efforts to increase immunization coverage and detect populations that have unacceptable levels of under-vaccination or non-vaccination in children, we risk erasing decades of progress in protecting children and communities This disease is devastating, but perfectly preventable, "said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's Deputy Director General for Programs.

Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease, which can be prevented by two doses of a vaccine "safe and effective," according to WHO.

Measles can lead to serious or life-threatening complications such as encephalitis, pneumonia and permanent loss of vision.

The risks of death and complications are particularly serious in newborns and children suffering from malnutrition or whose immune system is weakened.