Measles quadruple

THE number of measles cases worldwide nearly quadrupled in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 against the same period last year, the World Health Organisation said, citing provisional data.

Higher rates of the preventable but contagious disease – which can kill a child or leave it blind, deaf or brain-damaged – have been recorded in all regions, the United Nations agency said in a statement, appealing for better vaccination coverage.

Australia has also been hit. NSW has had 35 cases since Christmas and Queensland has had 12 confirmed cases this year.

The report gave no figures for fatalities but noted it estimated that globally, only one in 10 cases is reported to health authorities.