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More than 6,000 dead in the “worst measles epidemic in the world”


A child being vaccinated in the DRC against the Ebola virus, July 13, 2019. – Jerome Delay / AP / SIPA

The measles epidemic raging in Democratic Republic of Congo is “the worst in the world” and has killed more than 6,000 people in one year, said Tuesday
the World Health Organization (WHO) asking for an additional $ 40 million to deal with it. In 2019, “more than 18 million children under the age of 5 have been vaccinated” across the country and “about 310,000 suspected cases” of measles were reported, the WHO said in a statement. “25% of the measles cases recorded concern children over the age of five, who are the most vulnerable,” adds the WHO.

According to WHO, “US $ 27.6 million has been mobilized” but “an additional US $ 40 million is needed” for a six-month response plan to extend immunization to children aged 6 to 14 especially. “We urge our donor partners to step up their emergency assistance,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Low immunization coverage

The epidemic has been exacerbated by the low immunization coverage of vulnerable communities, malnutrition, weak public health systems, outbreaks of other diseases with epidemic potential, difficult access of vulnerable populations to health care and insecurity hampered response in some areas.

In addition to measles, the DRC is fighting an Ebola epidemic which has already caused 2,233 deaths out of 3,390 cases registered, according to the last official report dated Sunday. Declared in August 2018, this tenth Ebola epidemic on Congolese soil affects the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, two regions plagued by violence due to the presence of dozens of local and foreign armed groups.

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