The UK battles measles surge and urges parents to vaccinate children as cases reach critical levels.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is issuing a warning as Europe is seen to have an alarming rise in measles cases. It has been reported that the measles surge will rise more than 30-fold across the region in 2023.
The organization stated that the region might continue to experience a surge if immediate measures are not taken to curb the rising numbers.
In addition, the UK health agency has now declared that the region is in a national incident as cases reach critical levels.
UK Battles Measles Surge Amid Low Vaccination Rate
It turns out that the UK is not the only region in Europe battling with the increasing cases of measles in their region. Additionally, it was reported that the measles cases have been skyrocketing since last year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 40 out of the 53 member states in the European region reported more than 30,000 measles cases between January and October last year, compared to 941 cases in 2022.
Furthermore, the report also states that there were 21,000 people hospitalized and five measles-related deaths. With that, U.K. health officials urge millions of parents to vaccinate children with the mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine as they continue to see a sharp increase of measles with the lowest vaccination rates.
In addition to the United Kingdom, Romania has raised the alarm. In December of the previous year, the country's health ministry declared a national measles epidemic in response to a concerning surge in cases and a significant number of hospitalizations among afflicted children.
The National Institute of Public Health confirmed a total of 2,805 cases of the virus in Romania for the preceding year.
Austria has been actively combating measles since the onset of 2023, with nearly 200 cases documented through the epidemiological reporting system.
In France, a measles outbreak was initiated in a school situated in the southeastern community of Guilherand-Granges around September. By the middle of November, the regional health agency reported 64 confirmed cases, two of which necessitated hospitalization.
Germany documented 57 cases in the past year, a figure surpassing that of 2022 but remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
Measles, recognized as one of the most contagious diseases, spreads through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes.
It predominantly affects children under the age of 5, with symptoms encompassing fever, cough, runny nose, and a distinctive rash.
Parents Are Urged To Vaccinate Children with MMR Vaccine
The National Health Service is set to roll out a public initiative to combat the undeniable rising cases.
Measles can be prevented in children through an MMR vaccine, which not only targets the measles virus but also gives protection from mumps and rubella.
This vaccine is generally given to all children in the UK which is administered through two doses at 12 months to 3 years of age.
However, vaccination rates have dipped to approximately 85% nationally and even lower in certain parts of London, as highlighted by Jenny Harries, the Chief Executive of the U.K. Health Security Agency.
Measles usually affects kids and adults who do not have immunity against it, which most of the patients have not been vaccinated against it.
Harries, which stresses the urgency of elevating the vaccination rate to the World Health Organization's and stated that the vaccination rate needs to be at 95% to reach heard immunity to assure that measles cannot surge again.
Public health authorities express concern for over 3.4 million children below 16 years old, emphasizing their vulnerability to preventable diseases due to insufficient protection.
Officials caution that outbreaks can occur wherever vaccination coverage falls below the critical 95% threshold necessary for achieving herd immunity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Europe attributes the resurgence of the virus largely to a regression in vaccination coverage.
Since 2020, vaccination coverage in the EU/EEA has been on the decline, with the ECDC's latest data indicating a second-dose coverage of approximately 89.7% in 2022.
Across the EU, Hungary boasts the highest measles vaccination levels at 99%, closely followed by Slovakia and Portugal at 96%. Conversely, Estonia and Romania exhibit the lowest vaccination levels at 68% and 71%, respectively.
These figures underscore the need for concerted efforts to bolster vaccination rates and curb the resurgence of preventable diseases.
