Dr Congo Measles: Nearly 5,000 Dead In Major Outbreak

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

• 2019

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Image copyrightAFP/GETTY
Image captionExperts warn there are not enough available vaccines in the country
Measles has killed nearly 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, authorities said, after the disease spread to all the provinces in the country.

Close to a quarter of a million people have been infected this year alone.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says this is the world's largest and fastest-moving epidemic.

Measles in DR Congo has now killed more than twice the number who have died of Ebola there in the last 15 months.

The Congolese government and the WHO launched an emergency vaccination programme in September that aimed to inoculate more than 800,000 children.

But poor infrastructure, attacks on health centres and a lack of access to routine healthcare have all hindered efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

• What are vaccines and how do they work?
• Listen: Deadly measles outbreak in DR Congo

Four million children have been vaccinated, but experts warn that this amounts to less than half of the total in the country - and not enough vaccines are available.

The majority of those infected with measles in the country are infants.

What is measles?
Measles is a virus that initially causes a runny nose, sneezing and fever.

A few days later it leads to a blotchy rash that starts off on the face and spreads across the body.

• Measles makes body 'forget' how to fight infection
• Global measles cases quadruple - UN

Most people will recover, but measles can cause life-long disability. It can be deadly, especially if it causes pneumonia in the lungs or encephalitis (swelling in the brain).

It is estimated that a global total of 110,000 people die from measles each year.

 

[LavenderMint]

• 2019

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Image copyrightAFP/GETTY
Image captionExperts warn there are not enough available vaccines in the country
Measles has killed nearly 5,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, authorities said, after the disease spread to all the provinces in the country.

Close to a quarter of a million people have been infected this year alone.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says this is the world's largest and fastest-moving epidemic.

Measles in DR Congo has now killed more than twice the number who have died of Ebola there in the last 15 months.

The Congolese government and the WHO launched an emergency vaccination programme in September that aimed to inoculate more than 800,000 children.

But poor infrastructure, attacks on health centres and a lack of access to routine healthcare have all hindered efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

• What are vaccines and how do they work?
• Listen: Deadly measles outbreak in DR Congo

Four million children have been vaccinated, but experts warn that this amounts to less than half of the total in the country - and not enough vaccines are available.

The majority of those infected with measles in the country are infants.

What is measles?
Measles is a virus that initially causes a runny nose, sneezing and fever.

A few days later it leads to a blotchy rash that starts off on the face and spreads across the body.

• Measles makes body 'forget' how to fight infection
• Global measles cases quadruple - UN

Most people will recover, but measles can cause life-long disability. It can be deadly, especially if it causes pneumonia in the lungs or encephalitis (swelling in the brain).

It is estimated that a global total of 110,000 people die from measles each year.

Add on the fact that measles resets the immune system. So if you get it & survive, a good portion of your previous immunities are wiped out making you vulnerable to things you previously were protected from- until you either get vaccinated or exposed to them again. It’s a terrifying disease.

 

[LdyKamz]

This is so scary. Some months back there was a crisis within the Orthodox Jewish community here. At the time I was submitting my vaccinations for school and found out that I wasn't immune anymore. The lab results said my level of immunity "had gone down" and was less than a specific percentage. I thought vaccinated once and you're set for life. Silly me. I ended up having to get a booster shot. Since I was I unprotected the story about the outbreak had me nervous. My aunt told me my doctor should be checking that stuff often enough so if I need boosters I get them. She works with children and she stays on top of that sort of thing but I seriously did not know that my vaccination could wear off.

 

[Theresamonet]

This is so scary. Some months back there was a crisis within the Orthodox Jewish community here. At the time I was submitting my vaccinations for school and found out that I wasn't immune anymore. The lab results said my level of immunity "had gone down" and was less than a specific percentage. I thought vaccinated once and you're set for life. Silly me. I ended up having to get a booster shot. Since I was I unprotected the story about the outbreak had me nervous. My aunt told me my doctor should be checking that stuff often enough so if I need boosters I get them. She works with children and she stays on top of that sort of thing but I seriously did not know that my vaccination could wear off.

Whaaaa?!

 

[dicapr]

Whaaaa?!

That can happen with any vaccine depending on your immune system. Some people’s bodies just won’t take the immunization well. My mom won’t develop antibodies to rubella. She has had the shot 3Xs. The human body is weird. Also if you are on immunosuppressive drugs vaccines don’t work as well.

 

[LdyKamz]

Whaaaa?!

This was my exact face! Doc said it can happen as you get older if you were vaccinated as a young child. I was so shocked I didn't even know what questions to ask. When I finally snapped out of it to do some research the stuff I found only talked about people 60+ having to be revaccinated. There were a few articles here and there that said vaccination levels may decrease slightly as you age but no real explanation as to why. For full immunity the number had to be like higher than 25 and I think mine was like 24.8 or something which doesn't sound bad but also meant I was exposed. Crazy. I do know that I'll be checking my immunizations regularly from now on.

 

[HappilyLiberal]

This is so scary. Some months back there was a crisis within the Orthodox Jewish community here. At the time I was submitting my vaccinations for school and found out that I wasn't immune anymore. The lab results said my level of immunity "had gone down" and was less than a specific percentage. I thought vaccinated once and you're set for life. Silly me. I ended up having to get a booster shot. Since I was I unprotected the story about the outbreak had me nervous. My aunt told me my doctor should be checking that stuff often enough so if I need boosters I get them. She works with children and she stays on top of that sort of thing but I seriously did not know that my vaccination could wear off.

What's scarier is people like me. I do not develop the antibodies for Measles. So, I rely on herd immunity. These anti-vaxers are going to wipe out the planet!

 

[Laela]

wow.. the Measles was more deadly than ebola...

Measles claims more than twice as many lives than Ebola in DR Congo

© UNICEF/Thomas Nybo | A nurse prepares to vaccinate an infant during a regularly-scheduled immunization clinic in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

[Ms. Tarabotti]

wow.. the Measles was more deadly than ebola...

Measles claims more than twice as many lives than Ebola in DR Congo

© UNICEF/Thomas Nybo | A nurse prepares to vaccinate an infant during a regularly-scheduled immunization clinic in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I think that it is easier to catch measles than Ebola. People often underestimate the harm that these 'childhood diseases' can cause.