<
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/apr/28/measles-cases-surge-nearly-80-in-wake-of-covid-chaos-with-fears-other-diseases-could-follow>
"Measles cases have surged nearly 80% worldwide this year amid disruption
caused by Covid-19, the UN has said, warning that the rise of the “canary in a
coalmine” illness indicated that outbreaks of other diseases were likely to be
on the way.
The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted vaccination campaigns for non-Covid
diseases around the world, creating a “perfect storm” that could put millions
of children’s lives at risk, the UN’s children’s agency Unicef and the World
Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement.
Measles is a disease caused by a virus that attacks mainly children. The most
serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe
respiratory infections. Vaccination uptake of at least 95% is the best way to
avoid it spreading, though many countries fall far short of that goal – Somalia
is at just 46%, according to the UN data.
Globally, more than 17,300 measles cases were reported in January and February,
compared with about 9,600 during those months last year, according to new data
from the UN agencies.
There have been 21 large and disruptive measles outbreaks in the 12 months to
April, most of them in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, the data showed.
Christopher Gregory, senior health adviser in Unicef’s immunisation section,
told Agence France-Presse that because measles was the “most contagious
vaccine-preventable disease” it often served as a warning sign. “Measles is
what we call the tracer, or the canary in the coalmine, that really shows us
where those weaknesses in the immunisation system are,” he said.
Yellow fever was among the diseases that could surge next, he said, after
rising cases were reported in west Africa."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
