Missed shots during pandemic fuelling measles spike: Data

MUMBAI AND KERALA HAVE REPORTED A SHARP SURGE IN MEASLES CASES. AT LEAST 13 HAVE DIED IN MUMBAI FROM THE DISEASE

Roughly 2.5 million infants who were supposed to be vaccinated for their first doses of the measles immunisation did not receive the shots last year amid a rush for Covid-19 jabs. The missed shots could explain why the country is recording a surge in the disease that is contagious and at times fatal.

According to an estimate by the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control released late on Wednesday, India accounts for second highest numbers of missed doses in 2021, with Nigeria recording the most at 3.1 million doses.

In recent weeks, at least four states have reported a sharp surge in measles infections and deaths. In Mumbai, there have been at least 13 fatalities, and 3,695 suspected infections, out of which 252 are confirmed cases. The Union government has rushed teams to four states, including Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand and Gujarat.

“There is no doubt that these outbreaks that we are seeing is fallout of the drop in routine immunization due to the pandemic as our energies were diverted towards immunising people against Covid-19.” said Dr NK Mehra, senior immunologist and former head, transplants immunology and immunogenetics department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

“Whenever there is a pool of susceptible population group, the infection will spread. And measles happens to be a highly contagious viral infection. That aside, there could be other factors also at play that we do not know of yet,” Dr Mehra added.

The government has now decided to accelerate vaccinations for all children between the age of nine months and five years, following a review meeting on the situation on November 23.

“States have been asked to conduct special drives to ensure the coverage is improved, which would effectively increase the protection,” said an expert from the committee.