Measles Casesโข Rise Globally,โ Brazil Confirms 34 Infections โThis โฃYear
BRASรLIA – Amidst a surge in measles cases worldwide, brazil’s Ministryโ of Health has issued a warningโค followingโข the confirmation of 34 measles infections across the country in 2024. The alert comesโ as โglobal โฃhealth authorities reportโข a significant increase in outbreaks, with overโ 360,000 suspected cases reported in 173 countries by the World Health โฃOrganization (WHO), of which around 164,000 have been confirmed.
The global rise is especially pronounced in theโฃ Eastern Mediterranean Region (34% of cases), Africa (23%), adn Europe โค(18%).In the โขAmericas,11,691โฃ cases and 25 deaths have been confirmed in ten countries,with Canadaโ (over 5,000 cases),Mexico (4,703),and the United โStates (1,514)โ reporting the โhighest โขnumbers. The U.S. recorded itsโ first measles death in โคa decade in March of this year.
Southโ American countries are also experiencing outbreaks, with Bolivia โreporting 320โค confirmed cases, paraguay 50, peru 4, and Argentina 35.
WHO data indicates that โขadolescents and young adults represent the highest absolute numberโค of cases,with 22% of confirmed cases in the Americas occurring among those โฃaged 10-19,and 19% between 20-29. Though, โinfants under one year old are the most vulnerable, exhibiting a rate of 6.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Measles is a highly contagious viralโ disease spread through respiratory transmission, similar to COVID-19 and influenza. It can โlead to serious and potentially fatal complications, particularly in children under two years of โage. โ Symptoms initially resemble theโ flu -โฃ high fever,โข cough, runny โขnose,โฃ conjunctivitis, and malaise -โฃ followed byโ the appearance of a characteristic red rash. โIndividuals areโ contagious forโฃ up to six โdays before โค the rash appears, โคand for four daysโ after. โข Health officialsโ emphasize that one infected person โขcan potentially infect 16 others who are not immunized.
The Ministry of Health’s warning underscores the importance of vaccinationโ as the most effective โคmeans of preventing measles andโค controllingโฃ its spread.Prior to the 1990s, measles was a leading cause of infant mortalityโข in Brazil, highlighting the critical role of โimmunization programs.