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MEASLES UPDATE (24)
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[1] Guinea
Date: Thu 12 Jun 2014
Source: IRIN [abbreviated Mod.CP, edited]
http://www.irinnews.org/report/100201/c ... -outbreaks


With health authorities and medical personnel battling Guinea's 1st outbreak of Ebola virus disease, there have inevitably been concerns about finding the human and physical resources to combat other diseases. Unlike Ebola, measles and meningitis are well known to Guinea and require a major, coordinated response from both the state and NGOs. Despite the "Ebola Factor", health organizations say they have maintained their operations and are combating measles and meningitis effectively.

Due to low vaccination coverage, Guinea is hit by major outbreaks of measles every few years. Last year [2013], 143 cases of measles were reported across several regions. During a 2009 epidemic, there were 4755 suspected cases, most of which were concentrated in and around Conakry. Ten children died. Just 37 percent of children in Guinea are fully vaccinated, according to UNICEF. The fight to contain the spread of Ebola has inevitably drawn more media attention, but health experts say that, away from the headlines, essential work is being done on other diseases. "It's never easy, but the response has been quite good," said Corinne Benazech, Head of Mission for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Guinea. MSF continues to provide measles treatment free-of-charge, as well as for follow-up cases where there have been complications.

UNICEF, WHO, MSF, and other aid groups launched massive vaccination campaigns targeting 1.6 million children under 10 after the government declared a measles outbreak in January 2014. But the IFRC too is still heavily implicated in work against measles. In February 2014, it released around USD 135 000 to support Guinea's Red Cross Society and mobilized more than 800 volunteers to help with UNICEF's mass vaccination campaign, as well as educating and sensitizing families throughout the country about the symptoms, origin and modes of transmission of measles. La Rose said the vaccination campaign, which lasted about 2 weeks, was deemed successful as it stopped the immediate outbreak of measles and dramatically slowed down the spread. Health workers say they are now monitoring and treating new cases as they arise. Despite bringing the latest measles and meningitis outbreaks under control, Guinea's health service still suffers from a weak public health infrastructure and poor levels of sanitation. Many of the country's hospitals and health clinics lack access to clean water, electricity and basic medical equipment.

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[A ProMED-mail HealthMap is available at http://healthmap.org/promed/p/45.]

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[2] Somalia
Date: Tue 10 Jun 2014
Source: RBC Radio [abbreviated Mod.CP, edited]
http://www.raxanreeb.com/2014/06/somali ... n-somalia/


Outbreaks of measles in several regions have left thousands of Somali children at risk of disability or death unless they are urgently vaccinated against the highly contagious disease, according to a joint statement released by WHO and UNICEF today [10 Jun 2014]. In March and April 2014, there were over 1350 suspected cases of measles, 4 times the number seen during the same period last year [2013], and nearly 1000 cases were reported in May 2014 alone.

In response, the health authorities, with the support of UNICEF, WHO, and partners, have conducted small scale vaccination campaigns and will carry out larger emergency campaigns in the most affected areas of Bari, Nugaal, Mudug, Banadir and Lower Juba in June 2014 targeting half a million children under 5.

Two decades of conflict have decimated Somalia's health sector, leaving the country with some of the worst health and nutrition indicators in the world. An estimated one in 5 children dies before their 5th birthday, with measles as one of the main causes. It is estimated that less than a 3rd of Somali children under one year were vaccinated against measles in 2013 through routine immunization services. In some areas in central and southern Somalia, insecurity has meant that immunization coverage is as low as 15 per cent.

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[A map of Somalia can be accessed at: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/somalia/. - Mod.CP]

[A ProMED-mail HealthMap is available at http://healthmap.org/promed/p/125.]

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[3] Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Date: Sat 14 Jun 2014
Source: Dawn Newspaper [abbreviated Mod.CP, edited]
http://www.dawn.com/news/1112685/3-heal ... les-deaths


The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department on Friday [13 Jun 2014] announced it would book 3 of its technicians for intentional murder over 4 deaths during the recent anti-measles campaign in the province. It also announced suspension of 10 doctors and health technicians from Peshawar hospitals for negligence in this case. The suspension had been ordered in the light of a high-level inquiry into the deaths of 4 children and hospitalisation of dozens in Peshawar after their vaccination against measles during the 12-day campaign, which began across the province on 19 May 2014. The inquiry committee reported that the accused wrongly administered anti-measles vaccine to children causing their deaths, an action ranked as intentional murder under the Pakistan Penal Code.

The minister said technicians didn't administer vaccine properly, and officials said around 9.6 million children were vaccinated during the campaign and that the federal government had purchased anti-measles vaccines used in it from India. There followed formation of an inquiry committee headed by Peshawar deputy commissioner Zaheerul Islam and consisting of senior doctors and a representative of WHO.

"The committee found that 3 technicians didn't inject vaccines properly to children, thus causing their deaths. In this light, the 3 have been suspended forthwith, and a case against them will be registered under Section 302 of the PPC," said Shahram Tarakai, who was accompanied by information minister Shah Farman. The minister said the government had zero tolerance for medical negligence and that action would be taken against the culpable ones under the law. He said the health department had ordered suspension of the provincial Expanded Programme for Immunisation coordinator Dr Janbaz Afridi and that Rs 500 000 [USD 5000] would be paid to the family of every child who had died of improper administration of vaccination as compensation. Earlier, information minister Shah Farman said the anti-corruption department had either arrested or issued orders for the arrest of 144 government employees for corruption during the ongoing campaign. He said Rs 13.9 million [USD 142 000] in ill-gotten money had been recovered from the said employees.

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[Unfortunately we are left in the dark regarding the precise nature of the deficiencies in administration of the vaccine justifying the accusation of "intentional murder". Further information is awaited. - Mod.CP

A ProMED-mail HealthMap is available at http://healthmap.org/promed/p/140.]

MEASLES UPDATE (25)
*******************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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*****

Somalia
Date: Mon 16 Jun 2014
Source: RBC Radio, Tawakal Express [abridged Mod.CP, edited]
http://www.raxanreeb.com/2014/06/somali ... -declared/


Over 50 000 Somali children are severely malnourished, and a measles outbreak is making them even more susceptible to the disease, according to the UN. Nearly a 1000 cases were reported in May 2014 alone, bringing the total to 2350 cases since March 2014.

Despite resumption of the Gu (April-June) rains in parts of southern and central Somalia, pasture [for grazing] and water for livestock have been limited in the northeast. The harvest is predicted to be late and/or poor, which could adversely affect the food security and nutrition situation in Somalia.

Somalia is at risk of sliding back into emergency. Early warnings that the food security situation is likely to worsen are a combination of erratic and delayed Gu (April-June) rains, a disrupted planting season, and a blockage of supply routes leading to rising food prices.

Resumption of rainfall since early May [2014] have helped alleviate moisture stress on planted crops in agriculture-dependent areas and replenished water and pasture in pastoral areas. Even with erratic rains, parts of southern Somalia have experienced flash floods which have destroyed crops and displaced households.

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[Additionally, it is usually recommended that all children in developing countries diagnosed with measles should receive 2 doses of vitamin A supplements given 24 hours apart. This can help prevent eye damage and blindness. Moreover, vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce the number of deaths from measles by 50 percent (http://www.allcountries.org/health/measles.html). - Mod.CP]

[A ProMED-mail HealthMap is available at http://healthmap.org/promed/p/125.]

In Siwa ist eine Masernepidemie ausgebrochen, die bisher sechs Kindern das Leben gekostet hat und ca. 100 weitere Menschen wurden infiziert. Das Problem in Siwa ist, dass es keine Behandlungsmöglichkeiten für Masern in Siwa gibt. Die Erkrankten müssen zur Behandlung entweder nach Matrouh oder Alexandria. Teilweise werden die Kranken mit "traditionellen" Mitteln behandelt, was nicht immer zur Heilung führt.


Ägypten: Masern-Todesfälle bestätigt

Sechs Kinder aus der Oase Siwa (Western Desert) sind an Masern verstorben und mehr als 100 weitere sind infiziert, wie aktuell gemeldet wird. Eine offizielle Bestätigung der Gesundheitsbehörden steht noch aus. mehr...

Grüsse
Alexander

Die Zahl der weltweit gemeldeten Masernfälle ist rasant gestiegen: Bis Ende Juli wurden laut WHO fast 365.000 Fälle registriert - fast drei Mal so viele wie im entsprechenden Vorjahreszeitraum ...

Reisenden empfiehlt die Organisation, ihren Impfstatus zu prüfen. Ab einem Alter von sechs Monaten sollte jeder spätestens 15 Tage vor einer Reise in betroffene Regionen geimpft werden.

WHO schlägt Alarm: Zahl der Masernfälle hat sich verdreifacht
13.08.2019 - tagesschau

Gruß
Birgitt

ui, welch information! hier wird wieder mal massiv politik betrieben.

wenn man sich die jahresstatistiken der masernfälle anschaut, kommt es immer wieder zu schwankungen. gehen die zahlen runter, sagt keiner etwas, gehen sie wieder einmal turnusmäßig rauf, wird panik geschoben

übrigens empfielt die stiko eine masernimpfung erst ab 11 monaten, vor 9 monaten sollte sie nicht erfolgen.
bei einer masernimpfung mit 9 moanten ergeben sich eine erfolgsquote von ca. 80% (also ein fünftel der impfungen versagen - ergibt keine immunität!) eine impfung mit 16 monaten aber eine erfolgsquote von 95%!
warum erfährt das keiner? und warum geben die journalisten diese informationen ungefiltert weiter?

übrigens die (m.e. sehr gute und fundierte) stellungnahme des vereins "ärzte für individuelle impfentscheidung e.v." zu dem in dem artikel erwähnten gesetzesentwurf zur masernimpfpflicht (die ja zugleich aus ermangelung eines einzelimpfstoffes auch zu einer mumps und rötelimpfpflicht wird):
https://www.impf-info.de/die-impfentsch ... spahn.html

hier aktualisierte informationen:
https://www.impf-info.de/die-impfentsch ... ssion.html

..und man bedenkt, das sich die Hirn Blutschranke erst mit 16 monaten schließt.
Alu im Kopf ist ungesund!
Grüße
Philipp

Die WHO zufolge sind an der aktuellen Masern-Epidemie in Kongo DRC inzwischen über 6.000 Menschen gestorben - über doppelt so viel wie an der Ebola-Epidemie, die dort bislang 2.230 Todesopfer forderte. Außerdem gilt die Masern-Epidemie im Kongo der WHO nun als diejenige, die sich weltweit am raschesten ausbreitet. Seit Juni 2019 wurden 310.000 Ansteckungsfälle aus allen 26 Provinzen des Landes gemeldet ...

Masernepidemie im Kongo
09.01.2020 - heise telepolis

Gruß
Birgitt

Die Masern-Epidemie in Kongo DRC wird im Schatten von Ebola kaum beachtet. Dabei hat der Ausbruch seit 2019 deutlich mehr Opfer gefordert. Es haben sich seither 341,000 Menschen in DRC mit Masern infiziert, mehr als 6,400 Menschen sind seither daran gestorben ...

Measles: In Ebola's shadow, a quiet killer is on a rampage in DRC
07.04.2020 - Aljazeera

Gruß
Birgitt

Der Masern-Erreger ist das weltweit ansteckendste Virus. Es tötet zehntausende Menschen. Dennoch haben 23 Länder jüngst ihre Impfkampagnen ausgesetzt – sie müssen mit Sars-CoV-2 fertigwerden ...

Das neue Coronavirus macht Masern noch tödlicher
08.04.2020 - spektrum

Why measles deaths are surging — and coronavirus could make it worse
07.04.2020 - nature

Gruß
Birgitt