The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Friday of an epidemic of measles that has struck tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan, and killed more than 150, the vast majority of children, in January alone.
« Measles cases have increased in all provinces since the end of July 2021“Said Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, during a briefing in Geneva.
The number of cases increased by 18% during the week of January 24 and by 40% during the last week of the month.
This highly contagious viral disease, which takes its name from the characteristic red patches all over the body, mainly strikes children, many of whom are already weakened by malnutrition.
In total, 35,319 suspected cases – including 91% of children under 5 – were recorded last month.
Some 156 people – 97% children under 5 – have died from the disease.
For the spokesperson, these figures are below reality and should still swell.
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« The rapid rise in cases in January suggests that the death toll from measles will rise sharply in the coming weeks“, underlined Mr. Lindmeier.
The main complications caused by the virus are encephalitis, diarrhea, blindness or even severe respiratory infections.
This epidemic is spreading in a country plunged into a deep economic and financial crisis since the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul in August and the freezing of funds abroad.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned that more than half of the country is threatened with famine.
The best protection against measles is very high vaccination coverage -theWHO recommend 95% – but that’s out of reach in the current Afghan context.
According to his spokesperson, the WHO and its partners are working hard to accelerate vaccination, increase testing and epidemiological surveillance capacities.
In December, a vaccination campaign immunized 1.5 million children in the most affected areas.
The distribution of vitamin A, which relieves the effects of the disease and reduces mortality, reached 8.5 million children in November during a national campaign.
The WHO is preparing a new vaccination campaign for the month of May, which should make it possible to reach three million children.
(Avece MAP)