Measles the new killer

ANTI-VAXXERS BLAMED: 15% MORE DEATHS LAST YEAR THAN IN 2017

More than 140 000 people died from measles worldwide last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and US authorities said – the result of global vaccination rates stagnating for almost a decade.

Poorer countries were hardest hit, with the vast majority of measle cases and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Wealthier countries, however, have also been battling their own outbreaks, with four European nations losing their “eliminated” status last year.

The announcement came as the Pacific island nation of Samoa was locked down to carry out a mass vaccination drive to cope with an epidemic that has killed 62 and, according to UN officials, was fuelled by anti-vaxxer conspiracy theories on the internet.

“The fact that any child dies from a vaccine-preventable disease like measles is frankly an outrage and a collective failure to protect the world’s most vulnerable children,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, director-general of the WHO.

“To save lives, we must ensure everyone benefits from vaccines, which means investing in immunisation and quality health care as a right for all.”

Most of the deaths were among children under the age of five. Babies and infants are at greatest risk of infection and of developing complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling that can lead to permanent damage, blindness or hearing loss.

About 142 300 people lost their lives to the disease last year, a quarter of the number in 2000, but up 15% compared to 2017. There were 9.7 million total cases. The WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund estimated that 86% of children globally received the first dose of measles vaccine last year, but fewer than 70% received the second recommended dose. That is far short of the recommended 95% vaccination coverage.

The five worst affected countries – Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Somalia and Ukraine – accounted for half of all cases worldwide.

But the US also saw its highest number of cases in 25 years, narrowly avoiding losing its status of having eliminated the disease. The status is lost if an outbreak is sustained continuously for more than a year.

Albania, the Czech Republic, Greece and the UK lost their eliminated status. – AFP

We must ensure everyone benefits from vaccines