The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated this Wednesday that immunization against measles has fallen significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, which has given led to a record of nearly 40 million children missing their vaccine dose last year worldwide.
Millions of children are now susceptible to contracting measles, one of the world's most contagious diseases.
In 2021, nine million infections and 128,000 deaths were reported.
Health authorities stated that continued declines in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, make "measles a imminent threat in all regions of the world".
A nurse administers a vaccine in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 2019.AP
Scientists estimate that at least 95% of the population must be immunized to protect themselves from epidemics;
WHO and CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive the first dose of measles vaccine, while 71% receive the second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates for the first dose. against measles since 2008.
"The record number of unvaccinated children who are susceptible to measles shows the profound damage that immunization systems have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
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Measles is spread mainly by direct contact or through the air and causes symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, and a rash on the face and upper neck.
Most measles-related deaths are due to complications such as brain swelling and dehydration.
According to the WHO, the most serious complications occur in children under 5 years of age and in adults over 30 years of age.
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More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, especially on the continents of Africa and Asia.
There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose measles vaccine is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.
The United Nations said in July that 25 million children have not received routine vaccinations against diseases such as diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted health services or sparked rejection over vaccine hoaxes.