Ukraine has broken a record for the number of measles cases
If the current rate of spread of measles among the population of Ukraine continues, by the end of the year the overall incidence rate may become the highest in all the years of independence, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
This was reported by the press service of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health.
“According to operational data... since the beginning of 2018, 36 people have fallen ill with measles - 455 adults and 14 children. If the incidence rate remains at the same level, by the end of the year the number of measles patients may exceed the highest incidence rate recorded in Ukraine since 111 (22 people in 344),” the report says.
At the same time, the center of the Ministry of Health added that there is no cure for measles, and the only way to protect against the disease is vaccination.
The most people fell ill with measles in:
– Lviv (total 7364 people: 2164 adults and 5200 children);
– Ivano-Frankivsk (total 3612 people: 971 adults and 2641 children)
– Transcarpathian (total 3459 people: 672 adults and 2787 children);
-Kiev (total 2408 people: 1491 adults and 917 children);
-Ternopil (total 2120 people: 773 adults and 1347 children) regions.
Since the beginning of the year, 15 people have died from complications of measles in the country: 11 children and four adults.
The greatest increase in measles incidence is observed precisely in those regions where the level of routine vaccination coverage is the lowest (Ivano-Frankivsk, Transcarpathian, Lviv regions). The risk of getting sick also increases due to the presence of children together in schools and kindergartens; children in the age group of 5-9 years suffer most from measles (almost 32% of all children). Therefore, it is very important that children are vaccinated on time according to the Preventive Vaccination Calendar, the CSC indicated.
Last week, 1319 people fell ill with measles in Ukraine.
As PolitNavigator previously reported, neighboring countries are warning citizens about the measles epidemic in Ukraine, and some, in particular Poland, are planning special preventive methods for Ukrainian citizens. Moldova introduced sanitary control at border crossing points with Ukraine and Romania back in the summer.
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