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Measles cases worldwide are increasing very rapidly.
The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore sees millions of children at risk.
This was announced by the UN child protection organization Unicef and the WHO in Geneva.
The number of reported measles cases in the first two months of 2022 was 79 percent higher than in the same period last year.
According to this, more than 17,300 measles cases were registered worldwide in January and February this year, significantly more than the 9,600 cases in the same months last year.
In a 12-month period up to April, there were 21 major measles outbreaks worldwide.
The reason for the increase is that too many children are not vaccinated.
This is partly because vaccination programs were interrupted during the corona pandemic, partly because countries had to use funds earmarked for measles vaccination elsewhere.
If the distance rules introduced because of Corona are lifted, there is a risk of major outbreaks of the highly contagious virus disease.
Increase in measles cases expected in Ukraine
According to the UN organizations, at the beginning of the corona pandemic in 2020, more than 23 million children missed the routine measles vaccinations.
In 43 countries, the vaccination campaigns that were postponed due to the pandemic have not yet been fully made up for.
203 million people are affected, most of them children.
Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Ethiopia have been particularly badly affected by measles in the past twelve months.
The experts fear an increase in cases in Ukraine as a result of the Russian war of aggression.
The country already recorded the highest measles infection rates in Europe in the years from 2017 to 2019.
Measles is transmitted by droplets from coughing, sneezing and speaking.
Affected people first have flu symptoms, then a skin rash.
Typical complications are middle ear and pneumonia, in severe cases it can also lead to encephalitis.
The disease can be fatal.
In addition, the immune system is weakened in infected people and they can contract other diseases faster than healthy people.
kim/dpa/AFP
