United Nations' World Health Organisation-(WHO) warns the world that measles is coming back since it took its Global Vaccine Action Plan to prevent this disease in 1980.
Dr. Alya Dabbagh stated in her report at the WHO that "The UN has reduced measles deaths from over 550,000 in 2000 down to almost 90,000 cases in 2016. That's is 84% of mortality rate reduction. Sadly, over 90% of those deaths are found in poor countries or countries that lack good health care system."
According to the latest data from the UN-WHO New measles surveillance data for 2019, in 2017 'there are around 110,000 cases died from measles. The first quarter of 2019 some countries from Africa and central Asia experience outbreak, where Madagascar was hit the hardest. And surprisingly, countries with high vaccinations rate like the US, Israel, Thailand also experience this measles coming back. Globally the rate has increased at 300% while Africa alone is accounted for 700%'.
WHO estimated that measles has caused approximately 2.6 million death annually mostly children, though it can impact any age. It also claimed that in the last 17 years (2000-2017), measles vaccination has prevented global death from measles to over 21 million. But what are the causes, signs and symptoms and its complications, and how do we prevent this disease?
Measles is a very contagious disease and it can have a long-lasting health impact and health complications ranging from diarrhea, dehydration, lung, brain infection to permanent loss of vision, etc. It starts with mild fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, and inflamed eyes, then later on red rashes will appear in a big patch or all over the patient's body starting from the head, spread to the upper body and then to the trunk. These rushes become blister and white-spot will appear in the patient's mouth. Often it will take around two weeks for the symptoms to incubate. It could be caused by traveling overseas or vitamin A deficiency or do not get the measles vaccine.
W-H-O vaccination expert, Dr. Katherine O’Brien, says misinformation about vaccines is to blame.
"It's extremely important people understand the measles vaccine, like all the vaccines we have, undergo rigorous, ongoing scientific safety evaluations. Over and over again, dozens of studies have demonstrated the measles vaccine is safe and effective," says Dr. O'Brien.
Recently many countries have taken drastic measures to handle measles outbreak by banning kids who don't vaccinate to attend a class like Italy or New York City where it forces its residents to vaccinate or facing fine
Australia is no exception, the first four months in 2019, there are already 100 measles cases confirmed according to the Australian Government Health Department- National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
Therefore, Australian health authorities have warned its communities to be cautious and check off their family measles vaccination is up-to-date. Moreover, due diligent must be taken when attending a public event where possible measles case could spread.
If you want more information about measles, you can check the WHO fact-sheet data or would like to inform health authorities about measles, you can contact the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control section at the Department of Health and Human Services on 1300 651 160 (24 hours).
