The World Health Organization’s (WHO) European region has seen an alarming rise in measles cases in recent months, it warned, calling for increased vaccinations to stop the spread of the disease.
Between January and October last year, 40 of the region’s 53 countries, including Russia and several former Soviet republics, reported more than 30,000 cases, an annual increase of more than 30%, WHO said, pointing out that 941 cases were reported in 2022 .
During this period, 20,918 hospitalizations for measles and five deaths were recorded in the two countries, WHO/Europe said in a statement.
“Growth has accelerated in recent months and this trend is expected to continue unless urgent action is taken in the region,” he warns.
Kazakhstan and Russia are the worst-hit countries, with more than 10,000 cases each.
The United Kingdom, with 183 cases, is the country in Western Europe where a resurgence of the disease, thought to have been eradicated in 2021, is most apparent.
According to the organization, the resurgence in measles incidence is mainly due to a drop in vaccination coverage between 2020 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, from 96% for the first dose in 2019 to 93% after three years.
After the introduction of the second dose of the vaccine, the number fell from 92% in 2019 to 91% in 2022, according to WHO. WHO estimates that more than 1.8 million children in the region were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.
The lifting of pandemic-related public health and travel restrictions has also increased the risk of cross-border transmission.
WHO stresses that many countries where measles has been declared eradicated now have cases of the disease and are at risk of outbreaks due to imported virus.
WHO/Europe director Hans Kluge found the trend “alarming” and said the only way to protect children from the disease was through vaccination.
“Increased vaccinations are urgently needed to stop transmission and prevent new infections. It is vital that all countries are prepared to quickly identify measles outbreaks that could jeopardize progress towards measles elimination,” warned Hans Kluge, as quoted in the statement.
In recent weeks, the Directorate General of Health (DGS) has registered three cases of measles in Portugal, two of which were imported.
According to the DHS, measles is caused by a virus and is one of the most contagious infectious diseases transmitted between people through droplets, droplets or aerosols from infected people.
The disease is usually benign, but in some cases it can be serious or lead to death.
Vaccination is the main preventive measure and the vaccine is part of the National Vaccination Program.