Tue 06 September 2022:
Since this April, a measles outbreak has ravaged the landlocked southern African country Zimbabwe, killing at least 700 children, Anadolu Agency reported.
“As of Sept. 4, 2022, Zimbabwe had 6,291 confirmed cases, 4,459 recoveries, and 698 deaths,” the Health Ministry said on Twitter on Monday.
“Cumulatively, 47.8 % of the cases were reported from Manicaland Province in Eastern Zimbabwe while Mashonaland West province has the highest cumulative case fatality rate (16.5%).
“Meanwhile, males constitute 52.7% of the total cases,” the ministry added.
No child should die of #measles! Get your child vaccinated against #measles.@MSF_Zimbabwe is supporting @MoHCCZim mass vaccination campaign in Mutare District. pic.twitter.com/QKRIQkLcNN
— MSF_Zimbabwe (@MSF_Zimbabwe) September 4, 2022
UNICEF has expressed concern over the increase in measles deaths.
“UNICEF is deeply concerned with the numbers of cases and deaths among children due to a measles outbreak in Zimbabwe,” a UNICEF statement said on Monday.
On April 10, Mutasa District in the Manicaland Province became the first district to report the measles outbreak.
UNICEF is currently supporting the Zimbabwean government’s response, and rapid response teams have been deployed in the affected districts.
“UNICEF assists the government to control the outbreak through the tracking of cases in the community and supplementary immunization activities,” added the UNICEF statement.
Zimbabwe continued vaccinating children against measles even during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, but the drive has been hampered by religious groups that tell their members to rely on self-proclaimed prophets for healing.
Church gatherings that have resumed following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions have “led to the spread of measles to previously unaffected areas,” said the health ministry in a statement last week.
Measles is among the most infectious diseases in the world and mostly spreads in the air by coughing, sneezing or close contact.
Symptoms include high fever, conjunctivitis and skin rash.
Scientists estimate that more than 90 percent of the population needs to be immunised to prevent outbreaks of the disease.
In July, UNICEF said about 25 million children worldwide had missed out on routine immunisations against common childhood diseases, calling it a “red alert” for child health.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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