WHO Issues Dire Warning After Measles Cases Increase 300% Globally In 2019 Alone
The World Health organisation (WHO) has raised alarm over the surge in cases of measles since the beginning of 2019 and that it keeps getting worse despite the availability of a perfect vaccine. Health organizations around the world are also urging anyone without the measles vaccine to get immunization for themselves and their children as soon as possible.
Two new frightening statistics on the disease came out on Monday morning. First, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that there have been more than 110,000 measles cases reported around the world, surely with more cases not yet reported. That is 300 percent more cases than at this point in 2018 – and the number of measles cases has already been growing over the last few years.
Preliminary global data on #measles shows that reported cases rose by 300% in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. This follows consecutive increases over the past two years. https://t.co/fY27Rlzlqw #VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/oImdYl4L9G
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 15, 2019
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“Over recent months, spikes in case numbers have also occurred in countries with high overall vaccination coverage,
including the United States of America as well as Israel, Thailand and Tunisia,
as the disease has spread fast among clusters of unvaccinated people,”
They continued:
“The disease is almost entirely preventable through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine.
For several years, however, global coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine has stalled at 85 percent.
This is still short of the 95 percent needed to prevent outbreaks,
“I’m obviously very concerned about the size and also acceleration of the current outbreak,
this is not going to stop on its own.”
Dr. Nancy Messonier of the CDC told CNN.
Yet another public health expert, Ogbonnaya Omenka blames the spike in the incidence of measles on misinformation and lack of trust. Speaking to USA Today, he said:
Why are these outbreaks happening now, even though we have a perfectly great vaccine for the disease?
Part of the answer lies in the anti-vaccination movement,
which relies on social media networks and echo chambers to spread fake information about the dangers of vaccines.
The impacts of misinformation and lack of trust have not been fully appreciated.
To date, 2019 has seen over 112k #measles cases reported from 170 countries, compared to over 28k cases from 163 countries this time last year. This is a 300% increase in cases ? & by region: @WHOAFRO 700% @pahowho 60%@WHO_Europe 300%@WHOEMRO 100%@WHOSEARO & @WHOWPRO 40% pic.twitter.com/ZOglaIQTjp
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 15, 2019