Urgent warning to parents over killer health crisis as ‘perfect storm’ brews
A WARNING has been issued over a brewing "perfect storm" - creating the ideal conditions for a killer outbreak.
Cases of measles have risen this year, with the World Health Organisation dubbing it a "worrying sign".
There is a "heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles", they warned.
Measles, which is seven times more infectious than Omicron, can have serious health implications for youngsters.
Too many children are unprotected against measles, with the risk for outbreaks increasing amid social distancing relaxations all over the world.
Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021.
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Measles is very contagious, so cases tend to have a sharp uptick when vaccination levels go down.
It could also serve as a red flag for other disease outbreaks that spread more slowly, but could still have an impact.
Measles can be lethal, but even if it isn't fatal it leaves the patient with a weakened immune system
This would leave children more vulnerable to other diseases for months after the initial infection.
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“Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunization coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
“It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from Covid-19 to return to more social activities.
"But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles.”
MMR jabs, which also stop mumps and rubella, give near-perfect immunity but 95 per cent of children have to be vaccinated to stop outbreaks.
UK Health Security Agency figures show only 86 per cent of five-year-olds are up to date with two doses.
Many Brits are not getting their children protected against it with a jab, as around ten million opt out.
UKHSA warned: “As international travel resumes, it is more likely that measles will be brought in from countries that have higher levels of the disease.”
CASE LOAD
Cases are currently low in the UK, with the last serious outbreak a few years ago, but infections globally are rising.
Brits were warned earlier this year one in 10 children starting school could catch the virus because vaccination levels are at a 10-year low.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted immunization services, health systems have been overwhelmed, and we are now seeing a resurgence of deadly diseases including measles.
"For many other diseases, the impact of these disruptions to immunization services will be felt for decades to come.
“Now is the moment to get essential immunization back on track and launch catch-up campaigns so that everybody can have access to these life-saving vaccines.”
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Countries with the largest measles outbreaks in the past year include Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia.
In 2020, 23 million children missed out on basic childhood vaccines through routine health services - the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019.
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