US health body warns of measles threat amid COVID pandemic

Washington : The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States warned that Covid-19 pandemic threatened progress against the measles virus.

Reports of measles cases have declined compared to last year, but a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the progress towards measles elimination continues to decline and the risk of outbreak is increasing.

As many as 70 per cent of children received their second dose of measles vaccine while more than 22 million infants missed their first dose of the measles vaccine last year. 24 measles vaccination campaigns in 23 countries were postponed due to the pandemic.

Despite a reduction of over 80% in measles cases, measles surveillance also deteriorated.

Twenty-six countries reported major outbreaks of measles in 2020, accounting for 84 per cent of all reported cases. According to the CDC, 47 measles cases were reported in four states by November 10, 2021.

Dr. Kate O’Brien, the director of WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals said , “While reported measles cases dropped in 2020, evidence suggests we are likely seeing the calm before the storm as the risk of outbreaks continues to grow around the world.”

“It’s critical that countries vaccinate as quickly as possible against Covid-19, but this requires new resources so that it does not come at the cost of essential immunization programs. Routine immunization must be protected and strengthened; otherwise, we risk trading one deadly disease for another.”

The measles vaccine has been estimated to have prevented 30 million deaths over the last 20 years.

US declared that measles had been eliminated from the country, as a result of the highly effective measles vaccine in 2000.

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