CORRECTED-OFFICIAL-Nearly 1,000 Madagascar children dead of measles since October - WHO
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause complications including blindness and brain swelling and increase susceptibility to other diseases. The Indian Ocean island is among Africa's poorest countries, and in 2017 only 58 percent of the population had been vaccinated against measles. The lack of a big outbreak since 2003 also means many have had no chance to develop immunity.
An emergency response has vaccinated 2.2 million of the 26 million population so far, Kretsinger said. Some of those had previously been vaccinated but had only received one shot, and so were given the more standard second, "booster" jab. "We believe that that should go a long way towards stemming the current outbreak," she added.
Madagascar has Africa's highest children's malnutrition rate, at 47 percent. The condition can increase the risk of serious complications and death from measles infection, the WHO says. The disease can also leave children vulnerable to potentially fatal pneumonia or diarrhoeal diseases months later, said Katherine O'Brien, WHO director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.
Madagascar plans to standardise on a routine two-dose vaccination programme later this year. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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