The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) have declared measles an “imminent threat” to every region of the world.
In a joint statement, the WHO and CDC said a record high of nearly 40 million children had missed a measles vaccine dose, with 25 million missing their first dose and an additional 14. 7 million missing their second.
They said in 2021, there were an estimated 9 million cases of the virus – 128,000 people died from it.
A group of 10 countries that had successfully eliminated measles re-established transmission within communities.
The WHO and CDC said the rise in cases was due to declines in vaccine coverage, weakened measles surveillance and continued interruptions and delays related to immunisation activities during Covid 19.
“The paradox of the pandemic is that while vaccines against Covid-19 were developed in record time and deployed in the largest vaccination campaign in history, routine immunisation programmes were badly disrupted, and millions of kids missed out on life-saving vaccinations against deadly diseases like measles,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Getting immunisation programmes back on track is absolutely critical.
Behind every statistic in this report is a child at risk of a preventable disease. ”
In 2021 nearly 61 million measles vaccine doses were postponed or missed due to immunisation campaign delays caused by Covid-19 across 18 countries.
They said these reasons, along with several serious measles outbreaks in 2022, mean that measles is an “imminent threat” across the whole world.
The organisations are now calling for urgent global action and say we need to get on top of our immunisation rates.
Getting all unimmunised children vaccinated is now a top priority for the organisations, the statement read.
Earlier this year, 1News reported concerns about slumping vaccination rates in New Zealand due to the pandemic.
“There’s some parts of the community where you might have less than half the children who’ve received the vaccines that they needed,” vaccinologist and associate professor at the University of Auckland, Helen Petousis-Harris, said.
“The record number of children under-immunised and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunisation systems have sustained during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said CDC Director Dr Rochelle P. Walensky.
“Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunisation programs, but public health officials can use outbreak response to identify communities at risk, understand causes of under-vaccination, and help deliver locally tailored solutions to ensure vaccinations are available to all. ”
Coverage of 95% or greater with two measles vaccines is what is needed to successfully contain the virus to herd immunity.
The WHO says the world is well under that, with only 81% of children receiving their first dose, with 71% receiving the second.
They also suggested strengthening surveillance of the virus to help mitigate the risks of potential outbreaks..
About Author
