The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing “the worst measles epidemic in the world” and has recorded 6,000 deaths in a single year. The World Health Organization calls on the generosity of its donors to put a new vaccination plan in place.
While the Democratic Republic of Congo has been waging a frantic fight against the Ebola virus for several months, it must also deal with “the world’s worst measles epidemic”, according to a communicated of the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 2019, “more than 18 million children under the age of 5 were vaccinated” nationwide and “about 310,000 suspected cases” of measles were identified, says WHO. “Twenty-five percent of recorded measles cases are in children over the age of five, who are the most vulnerable.” A total of 6,000 people died of measles in one year.
A new vaccination plan for 6 to 14 year olds
The WHO is calling for an additional 40 million euros to put a new vaccination plan in place, particularly for children aged 6 to 14. “We urge our donor partners to scale up their emergency assistance,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
The recrudescence of measles has intensified in the world, in particular because of mistrust vis-à-vis vaccines. But the situation has worsened in the DRC with malnutrition, inequalities in access to care and the insecurity that reigns in certain areas of the country. At the same time, the country is unfortunately waging a merciless fight against the Ebola virus, which has killed 2,231 people out of 3,391 cases recorded, according to a last report. As well as an epidemic of yellow fever and an outbreak of malaria.
Measles in France
In 2018, nearly 9 million people around the world caught measles despite the existence of a vaccine, and 142,000 died from it, 32,000 more than in 2017, according to Public health France. From 1er January 2008 to September 30, 2019, nearly 30,000 cases of measles have been reported in France (including nearly 15,000 cases in 2011 alone). “During the first 9 months of 2019, the epidemic persisted, with nearly 2,500 declared cases and circulation of the virus over almost the entire territory (92 affected departments)”, indicates Public health France in a report dated October 2019.
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