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MEASLES - AFRICA (27): ETHIOPIA, ZAMBIA
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In this update:
[1] Ethiopia
[2] Zambia

******
[1] Ethiopia
Date: Mon 11 Oct 2010
Source: Health Update OCHA Ethiopia [abbreviated, edited
<http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?a ... g/ethiopia>


Measles update
--------------
A large number of new measles cases have been reported again in the past
week, with 823 cases (6 deaths) in Oromia (38 cases), SNNP [Southern
Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region] (779 cases and 6 deaths), and
Addis Ababa (6 cases) between 27 Sep 2010 and 3 Oct 2010. Affected woredas
[administrative areas] include Agarfa, Dawa Sara, Ginir and Goro (Oromia)
and Aroresa, Bensa, Male, Benatsemay, South Ari and North Ari (SNNPR) and
Addis Ababa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported a training of trainers on
measles supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) for zonal supervisors
as part of the pre-vaccination campaign preparation. The vaccination
campaign is scheduled for 22 to 25 Oct 2010 in SNNPR.

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[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Ethiopia can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/01bp>. - Mod.CP]

******
[2] Zambia
Date: Wed 13 Oct 2010
Source: The Post Zambia [abbreviated, edited]
<http://postzambia.com/post-print_articl ... leId=14627>


Measles outbreaks in Solwezi
----------------------------
Measles has broken out in Solwezi with more than 68 cases reported so far.
Solwezi District commissioner Frobisher Fulayi confirmed the epidemic which
is mainly concentrated in the densely populated areas of Kyawama and Zambia
compounds, but was spreading fast.

"We have 40 cases of admissions at Solwezi General hospital and 28 at Urban
clinic. We are badly hit. There is no death recorded so far, but the
situation is getting out of hand; it's intensifying. The most affected are
babies aged 9 months and below and those above 5 years," he said.

Fulayi said the hospital and the clinic were not taking in any more cases
as there was no more bed space available. He, however, said his office was
in the process of bringing in more beds from Meheba refugee resettlement
and Katandano Zambia National Service camp and further engaging the army
for tents regarding over spilling cases at the 2 health institutions.

Fulayi appealed to Solwezi residents to report any suspected cases of
measles to health centres.

[byline: David Chongo]

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[The measles situation in parts of Africa remains dire. The HealthMap/
ProMED-mail interactive map of Zambia can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/017q>. - Mod.CP]

Äthiopien - Masern
19.10.2010

Zwischen dem 27.September und dem 3.Oktober sind 823 Erkrankungen hauptsächlich im Süden des Landes aufgetreten. Reisende sollten unbedingt geimpft sein. Die STIKO empfiehlt zwei Impfungen (MMR), die zweite kann jederzeit, z.B. anlässlich einer Reise, nachgeholt werden. / Quelle: crm
__________________

Sambia - Masern
19.10.2010

In Solwezi, der Hauptstadt der Nordwest-Provinz, sind mindestens 68 Menschen an Masern erkrankt, bisher gibt es keinen Todesfall. Die meisten Patienten sind unter 9 Monate alt oder Kinder über 5 Jahre. Der Impfstatus sollte bei Reisenden überprüft und ggf. ergänzt werden. / Quelle: crm

MEASLES - AFRICA (28 ): SWAZILAND
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Date: Wed 20 Oct 2010
Source: Swazi Observer [abbreviated & edited]
<http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=17162>


Measles outbreak: over 280 cases reported
------------------------------------------
About 281 cases of measles have been reported since the outbreak
began. Manager Philile Shabangu said this was the 1st outbreak of the
disease in the country. Shabangu said while there had been cases of
the disease in previous years, it was the 1st time the country
experienced an outbreak. However, she said no deaths had been
reported.

The Ministry of Health will embark on a national campaign to create
awareness on the disease. The campaign will be launched next week and
will run for 9 days. The campaign will not only be about creating
awareness, but they will be immunising children against the disease.
"We are going to have temporary sites nearer to the people so that
children can access treatment easily," she said. Shabangu said such
sites would include the neighbourhood care points, pre-schools and
gogo [orphan care] centres [Gogo stands for gandmother]. The sites
will be announced before the start of the campaign. Children that are
at risk are those who are 5 years and below. Immunisation for measles
is taken when the baby is 9 months old and again when she/he is 18
months old.

The outbreak was 1st reported in the Hhohho region and eventually
spread across the country and was more severe in the Lubombo region.
Measles affects infants between the ages of 9 months to 5 years old;
however, it was discovered that even the group age 6 to 14 was
affected. Nurses blamed the tendering and procurement process for the
outbreak.

[Byline: Sibonginkosi Mamba]

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[The Kingdom of Swaziland is a landlocked country in Southern Africa,
bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the
east by Mozambique. Swaziland is a small country, no more than 200 km
north to south and 130 km east to west, with a population of 1 128
814, and a population growth rate of -0.41 percent. With an HIV
[human immunodeficiency virus] prevalence of 19 percent -- the
highest in the world -- AIDS [acquired immunodeficiency syndrome] is
having an unprecedented impact on Swaziland. Life expectancy has
fallen from 60 years to 31 years, the world's lowest figure, and one
in 3 children are orphaned or left vulnerable
(<http://ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=43303>). This outbreak of
measles virus infection is an additional unwelcome event.

A map of Swaziland can be accessed at:
<http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/swaziland/>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Swaziland is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/01uj>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - AFRICA (29): ZIMBABWE (MASHONALAND CENTRAL)
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Date: Wed 20 Oct 2010
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation AlertNet, International Medical
Corps - USA report [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthe ... 504235.htm>


After nearly a country-wide measles epidemic left more than 500
people dead, International Medical Corps (IMC) joined forces with
other global donors and organizations to help support Zimbabwe's
Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MOHCW) in launching a
nationwide immunization campaign and survey of affected areas. The
initiative was a response to the recurring measles outbreak that
began in September 2009 and quickly spread to 59 of the country's 62
districts. "Nearly 10 percent of all infections were fatal," says Dr
Marco Cernuschi, public health coordinator for International Medical
Corps in Zimbabwe. "This is a figure that far exceeds the emergency
threshold for a preventable disease like measles and exemplifies the
tremendous public health needs in Zimbabwe."

The immunization campaign covered between 83 and 100 percent of
children across all provinces. However, reports of sporadic outbreaks
still exist, particularly in areas where communities resist modern
medical treatment. While MOHCW continues to investigate the causes of
the continuous outbreaks, International Medical Corps conducted a
survey in Mbire, one of the 5 districts that suffered an outbreak
just last month [September 2010].

In its assessment, International Medical Corps found major hurdles to
ongoing vaccination campaigns. Nearly all of the clinics surveyed in
Mbire, for instance, had the full complement of vaccines needed to
immunize against measles. However, International Medical Corps found
all health facilities to be dependent on gas-operated refrigerators
to maintain the cold chain for the vaccines, something many clinics
could not afford.

"Gas is an ongoing challenge for many of these facilities and,
without it, there cannot be cold chain," says Cernuschi. "For one,
there is no reliable vehicle in Mbire district to replenish gas and
then, even if there was, it would have to travel at least 200 km [124
mi] to reach the closest fueling station." Following the survey,
International Medical Corps committed to repair and supply fuel in 2
vehicles in Mbire and Mt Darwin, another of the affected districts.
"Having functional vehicles will help Ministry staff move throughout
the area to monitor the outbreak," says Cernuschi. International
Medical Corps is also assisting in the responses to measles outbreaks
that occurred this past month [September 2010] in the districts of
Mazowe, Mt Darwin, Rushinga, and Centenary.

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[The estimate that nearly 10 percent of all measles infections in
Zimbabwe were fatal is exceptional and justifies the need for
continued and enhanced assistance programmes from international
organisations such as IMC.

Mbire District is located in Mashonaland Central province of
Zimbabwe. A map of the provinces of Zimbabwe can be accessed at
<http://www.peterhouse.org/html/peterhou ... tions.html>,
and the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Zimbabwe is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00aK>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - AFRICA (30): ZIMBABWE: (HARARE)
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Date: Sat 6 Nov 2010
Source: The Zimbabwean [edited]
<http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.ph ... &Itemid=30>


The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that Harare has recorded the
highest number of confirmed measles cases since the outbreak started
more than a year ago, accounting for nearly a quarter of all reported
cases [i.e. about 3000].

According to the latest joint epidemiological report published by the
WHO and Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health, Harare has recorded 154
confirmed cases of measles against 673 cases that had been reported
by early October 2010.

Only Zvishavane [Midlands province] has recorded a higher number of
measles incidents [?], with 29 cases being reported between September
2009 and last month [October 2010].

The capital accounted for 42 out of the 76 suspected cases reported
during the week ending 10 Oct 2010, the latest period for which
[figures are] available.

"11 975 suspected cases and 631 deaths of measles were reported in
all the provinces of Zimbabwe (since the outbreak started last year
[2009])," the report said.

The United Nations said last month [October 2010] that Zimbabwe's
measles outbreak was claiming 5 lives a week despite a nationwide
immunisation campaign carried out in June [2010] that targeted more
than 5 million children.

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[Harare, the capital city and administrative centre of Zimbabwe, has
an estimated population of 1 600 000, with 2 800 000 people in its
metropolitan area (2006 census). The total population of the country
is approximately 11 600 000 (2006 census).

The figures in this press report are somewhat confusing, but the
vaccination campaign in late June 2010 does not appear to have
diminished the transmission of measles, at least in the capital city.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Zimbabwe, showing the
location of the cities of Harare and Zvishavane, can be accessed at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/00aK>. - Mod.CP]

Simbawe - Masern
10.11.2010

In diesem Jahr sind über 631 Menschen bei einem Masern-Ausbruch ums Leben gekommen. Insgesamt wurden 11.975 Erkrankungen gemeldet, seit der Ausbruch im letzten Jahr begann. Massive Impfkampagnen im Juni 2010 erreichten etwa 5 Mio. Kinder, dennoch forderte die Krankheit im Oktober noch etwa 5 Leben pro Woche. Nach dem deutschen Impfkalender sind 2 MMR-Impfungen für alle Kinder vorgesehen. Ein fehlender Impfschutz kann auch später jederzeit, z.B. anlässlich einer Reise, nachgeholt werden. / Quelle: crm

MEASLES - AFRICA (31): SOMALIA, SOUTH
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Date: Wed 10 Nov 2010
Source: African Press Agency (APA), Mogadishu [abbreviated & edited]
<http://healthmap.org/admin/disp.php?id=574561>


Reports from the southern Somali village of Leego indicate that at least 19
children, mainly under 5 years of age, have been killed by a measles
outbreak in the past 48 hours.

An elder in the village, Musse Aden Hassan, on Tuesday [9 Nov 2010]
confirmed the deaths of the 19 children, adding that more than 30 others
have fallen ill with the disease. "The situation here is very precarious;
children are dying every hour, and there is no health centre here," said
the elder, who called on international aid agencies and local Somali
business people to come with urgent humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, severe drought resulting in serious lack of water has led
thousands of families to flee from Leego and 6 surrounding villages,
according to Musse Aden Hassan, who is one of the most revered elders in
the village. "Lack of water is another big problem here, and we buy a
barrel of water for 40 000 Somali shillings [about USD 25.00], and most
residents cannot afford this high price, and that is why thousands of
farmers and pastoralists have fled from here," the elder told APA.

Somalia has not had a functioning central government since the 1991
downfall of former military ruler General Mohamed Siyad Barre.

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[This report indicates that, in deprived communities lacking medical and
basic supportive care, mortality from measles virus infection can be very
high in young children; perhaps around 40 per cent in this case.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Somaila can be accessed at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/0fua>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - AFRICA (32): RWANDA (SOUTHERN PROVINCE)
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Date: Sat 13 Nov 2010
Source: AllAfrica.com, The New Times report [summ., edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/201011150506.html>


Health officials in Nyaruguru District [Southern province] are on a
high alert after 2 of the 5 suspected cases of measles reported in
Ruheru Sector tested positive. Talking to The New Times, Anastase
Karemera, a district official in charge of health, said that the cases
were reported at Ruheru Health Centre where the children are currently
admitted. "We sent samples to Kigali [the capital] for testing, 2 of
the 5 samples have been confirmed," said Karemera on telephone. The
official said that measles [cases] were rare in the district with the
last case recorded about 5 years ago.

Ruheru Sector lies at the border with neighbouring Burundi, which
could be a potential source of the disease, but according to Karemera,
it is still too early to determine where the disease could have been
transmitted from. "The 2 places in which the disease has been reported
are quite far from the border though there is a lot of cross border
movement."

A team of health officials from the Centre for treatment and research
on AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other epidemics, and the National
University of Rwanda School of Public Health, has been dispatched to
the area to follow up on the outbreak. Measles is one of the causes of
child mortality in Rwanda, accounting for less than 2 percent of
deaths of children under 5, even though the vaccine against the
disease is available.

Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children
even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available. In 2008,
there were 164 000 measles deaths globally -- nearly 450 deaths every
day or 18 deaths every hour. More than 95 percent of measles deaths
occur in low-income countries with weak health infrastructures.
Measles vaccination resulted in a 78 percent drop in measles deaths
between 2000 and 2008 worldwide.

[Byline: Paul Ntambara]

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[Significantly these are the 1st confirmed cases of measles in the
Nyaruguru District since 2005, suggesting a relaxation in prophylactic
vaccination in the region. The 1st sign of measles is usually a high
fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus,
and lasts 4 to 7 days. A runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and
small white spots inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage.
After several days, a rash erupts, usually on the face and upper neck.
Over about 3 days, the rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and
feet. The rash lasts for 5 to 6 days, and then fades. On average, the
rash occurs 14 days after exposure to the virus (within a range of 7
to 18 days). Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished
young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose
immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

Maps showing the location of Nyaruguru district in the Southern
province (Province du Sud) of Rwanda, close to the border with
Burundi, can be accessed at
<http://www.rwandaembassy-japan.org/en/t ... da-map.gif>
and
<http://www.maplibrary.org/stacks/Africa ... /index.php>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Rwanda can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/0gcH>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - PAKISTAN: (SINDH)
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Date: Wed 24 Nov 2310
Source: The Muslim news, IRIN report [edited]
<http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=19136>


A 30 year old woman has just returned home with her one year old daughter.
The child has a few red spots on her body, and the mother is afraid her
child may have measles. The illness has already claimed 11 lives in Dadu
district in the southern Sindh province, and the mother, who lives in a
village near the town of Dadu, says she is very worried. "She has a fever
too, and the midwife I took her to see is not certain what it is. We are
now going to take her to the local clinic." Midwives double as basic
healthcare providers in many rural areas, where facilities are scarce.

Thomas Gurtner, the principal humanitarian adviser for the UN in Sindh
province, told IRIN: "The death of 11 children due to measles has been
confirmed by health officials here." In response, health officials in Dadu
have ordered more vaccination centres to be opened in hospitals and for
vaccination drives at camps to be stepped up.

Eshtewi Abu Ziyad, World Health Organization (WHO) acting representative in
Hyderabad, Sindh province, told IRIN: "We started a big campaign against
measles, including a vaccination drive, that began before Eid-al-Adha [17
Nov 2010]. This is continuing, and we are discussing future plans and how
to proceed with UNICEF [the UN Children's Fund] and local health
authorities. "I am not sure yet if measles is totally under control. I
think a few more cases have been reported. We are assessing the situation."

About 4000 children have been vaccinated against measles in the past 2
weeks. "We now have 95 per cent coverage among IDPs [internally displaced
people], and I can say things are improving," Ziyad said. Measles has been
killing up to 58 children a day, and outbreaks continue to be reported from
various parts of the country.

The WHO estimates 2.1 million children are infected annually, resulting in
about 21 000 deaths each year due to complications. "The best means to
prevent measles is immunization, immunization and immunization. Other
important means are improved nutrition and doses of vitamin A, which
improves immune response," Gul Afridi, WHO media and advocacy officer, told
IRIN from Islamabad.

"In situations such as that created by the floods, when many people are
forced to live in close proximity to each other at camps, levels of hygiene
are poor and nutrition not always adequate; there is a greater chance of
all contagious illnesses spreading," said Abdul Ahmed, a physician in Dadu.

Lack of awareness plays a role too. "I had no idea measles could be
dangerous. My 3 children, all aged under 10, are not vaccinated, but after
hearing about the risks on TV, I plan to take them to a clinic and get the
shots," said one parent.

According to WHO, other than the deaths in Dadu, there have been 8 cases of
measles in Ghotki district in Sindh, 20 in Dadu, 11 in Kashmore and 3 in
Naushero Feroze district. Outside Sindh, one case has been reported from
the northern Khyber-Pakhtoonkh'wa province. Since the end of flooding, the
WHO has warned of a continued risk posed to victims by the spread of disease.

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[In view of the contagiousness of measles and the apparent lack of
awareness of some of the population, the Pakistani Health authorities and
their international partners have done well to contain the measles outbreak
in the flood-stricken areas of the country.

A map of Sindh province showing the location of Dadu can be accessed at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pakistan_Sindh.PNG>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Pakistan is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00tj>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - AFRICA (33): DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (SOUTH KIVUU)
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Date: Mon 29 Nov 2010
Source: Medecins Sans Frontieres, Field News [abbreviated & edited]
<http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ne ... field-news>


After health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
officially declared that a number of measles epidemics had hit the
country, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) began carrying out mass
immunization campaigns to increase measles vaccination coverage in
the affected areas. In addition to vaccinations, medical teams have
treated hundreds of measles cases.

Measles is a highly-contagious viral infection that can spread
quickly with deadly consequences for vulnerable populations. DRC is
one of the countries where the disease persists despite successful
efforts to control it elsewhere in the world.

"Epidemics like these are avoidable if the population has been
vaccinated," said Karla Bil, MSF's Health Advisor. "Mass immunization
campaigns are so important because they raise the level of
vaccination coverage and prevent unnecessary deaths."

In the health zone of Fizi, in South Kivu province, MSF aims to
vaccinate 120 000 children between the ages of 6 months and 15 years.
Over the next 6 weeks, medical teams will keep trying to reach remote
locations despite ongoing and expanding military operations in the
area and the looming rainy season. The plan is to immunize nearly
every child in the health zone. Preparations started when a measles
epidemic was confirmed at the end of September [2010]. Since then, in
addition to the vaccinations, MSF has also treated approximately 300
people in the area who were suffering from measles and its complications.

Simultaneously, MSF has been responding to a measles epidemic around
Dilolo, in Kitanga Province, near the Angolan border. Since September
[2010], 368 measles cases have been confirmed. Last week, MSF started
a campaign to vaccinate 72 000 children in and around Dilolo. Teams
are hoping to vaccinate 90 percent of the children in the area. MSF
will also carry out an epidemiological assessment in the neighboring
health zone of Kasaji, where measles cases have been reported.

In Bendera, MSF teams are vaccinating 12 000 children, half of whom
were displaced from their homes in South Kivu last year [2009]. MSF
teams have also treated several cases of measles in the region. The
village of Lubilo was at the epicenter of the measles outbreak.
Located in South Kivu, on the eastern side of a peninsula that
extends into Lake Tanganyika, the village has a population of
approximately 3500 people and is extremely isolated, reachable only
by boat. After the local health authority reported that 12 cases of
measles had resulted in the deaths of 2 children, an MSF team left
for the village the next day. After a 5-hour boat trip, they were
greeted by concerned villagers. The 1st priority was setting up an
isolation tent where suspected cases could receive treatment and the
spread of the disease could be contained. Measles is an extremely
contagious disease; almost all non-immune children contract the
infection if exposed to the virus.

The next task was informing villagers via megaphone to bring any sick
children immediately to the heath post for free medical care. Soon,
the wooden benches were filled by mothers with sick children waiting
for a consultation. A child had died the night before, and people
were desperate to get their children seen. Many were severely
dehydrated, malnourished, and suffering from complications such as
pneumonia or diarrhea. 50 cases were confirmed that day alone, and 5
seriously ill children were immediately given IV drips. One of them
died during the night. The other 4 were transferred by boat to the
MSF-supported hospital in Baraka the next day. MSF has treated around
300 children who have been affected by the measles epidemic in and
around Lubilo.

MSF had vaccinated more than half a million children against measles
in 2009, but dealing with the current outbreaks was a different
undertaking given the present and urgent need to vaccinate so many
children so quickly. MSF employed more than 100 extra staff in South
Kivu to visit villages in the region and inform them about the free
vaccination program. There were also radio announcements in several
local languages. It was no easy task to get enough of the vaccine
into the country in the first place. "It's been a huge logistical
challenge sourcing 150 000 doses of measles vaccine at fairly short
notice, certainly considering the heightened demand in the region,"
said Grace Tang, MSF's Head of Mission in South Kivu.

And once the vaccine was in the country, MSF had to ensure that it
was kept cold during transportation so that it reached the
populations in optimal condition. The measles vaccine contains live
[virus] and to be effective must be kept at a controlled temperature
between 2-8 C. "We've had to use cooling elements, solar powered
fridges, and locate fridges along the route," said Tang. "But it's
been so worthwhile seeing children in the area getting a lifetime's
protection from this disease."

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[The struggle to control measles virus infection in Africa continues.
Interested readers should access the original report via the URL at
the top of this posting to view a photographic record of the event in
the village of Lubilo.

The map at: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Kivu> shows the
location of South Kivu province. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map of the Democratic Republic of Congo is accessible at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/01Cl>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES, FATAL - PAKISTAN: (PUNJAB)
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Date: Thu 13 Jan 2010
Source: The Express Tribune [edited]
<http://tribune.com.pk/story/103018/meas ... n-dg-khan/>


Measles outbreak in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab province
----------------------------------------------------
In Kot Hebat Busti Doom Wala a measles outbreak has affected hundreds of
people. A total of 11 children are currently suffering from the disease.
One of the children died from measles on Tue 11 Jan 2011 and 2 are in
critical condition. Locals in the area have complained about the
unavailability of medical aid.

"There are no health teams that visit this area and the closest THQ
[hospital/aid centre] is miles away," said a local resident. A team of
doctors confirmed that there was a measles outbreak in the village.

"Many of the villagers think this is cholera or chickenpox but it is
clearly a case of measles," Dr Fazal said. The team said that all the
patients would be provided with basic health facilities.

A parent said: "These are just words. My son had to die for the doctors to
even show up here and they will [not return] until someone else dies." The
villagers said that not a single medical team had visited the area since
the floods and there were no medicines at the local THQ.

The villager said that his entire family [of 11 children] had been affected
by the measles outbreak. "We were forced to visit quacks as no vaccine was
available at the BHU [hospital/aid centre] and my 6-year-old son died
yesterday," he said. His mother said that her other children were suffering
from "cholera" and the authorities had done nothing to help them. "It isn't
cholera but they want to say it is because they think that will make the
medical authorities take the case more seriously," Dr Fazal said.

A BHU doctor said that the reason they were out of measles vaccines was
because the hospital transformer had been stolen 6 months ago and they
couldn't store any vaccines. When District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Fazal
Karim Khan was informed of the situation he sent a team led by deputy DHO
Dr Sajad Sarwar Naqvi. The team will vaccinate all villagers in 5 union
councils adjacent to Kot Hebat. The [bereaved] father has requested that
the Punjab chief minister assist in the treatment of his surviving children.

--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[The resurgence of measles is one of the many unfortunate accompaniments of
the recent catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. Restoration of routine
vaccination of children deserves high priority.

Dera Ghazi Khan is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Its
location is shown in the map of Punjab province at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dera_Ghazi_Khan_District>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Pakistan can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00tj>. - Mod.CP]

Pakistan - Masern
18.01.2011

Aus Punjab wird ein Ausbruch mit Hunderten Erkrankten gemeldet. Zurzeit werden 11 Kinder behandelt, ein Kind ist am 11. Januar gestorben und zwei weitere sind in einem kritischen Zustand. Vielerorts fehlt es an medizinischer Hilfe. Impfschutz beachten. Bei fehlender zweiter Impfung kann diese jederzeit, auch anlässlich einer Reise, nachgeholt werden. / Quelle: crm

MEASLES - AFRICA: SUDAN: (UNITY STATE)
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Thu 20 Jan 2011
Source: Sudan Tribune [edited]
<http://www.allvoices.com/s/event-794044 ... EsMzc2ODk=>


As of 18 Jan 2011, an outbreak of measles in Unity State [Al Wahda]
has affected 95 people, killing 4 of them according to health
officials. The 4 killed were from Mayom county, which had 79 further
cases affected. Four cases each have been reported in Leer, Mayiandit
and Rubkotna counties.

The director general of the state Ministry of Health, Dr Manong Thot
Teny, said that the spread of the disease had been caused by returnee
children from north Sudan who had not been vaccinated before they
arrived in the state.

Teny said that they had invited the government of South Sudan earlier
to witness the health situation of returnees. Officials say they are
carrying out an awareness and vaccination campaign to address the
issue. In the past 2 months of 2010, over 55 000 people returned to
south Sudan ahead of the region's recently completed independence
referendum.

Teny said that the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) need to
consider the health status of returnees. "We in Unity State have
invited their partnership, especially the World Health Organization,
UNICEF and other international organizations, to extend their
assistance in the entire 10 states of South Sudan, Unity State in
particular." Unity State has seen a high number of returnees, and more
are expected, with results from the referendum vote expected in early
February 2011.

Earlier this month [January 2011], the US envoy to Sudan, Scott
Gration, promised to build educational and health services facilities
by making partnerships with both State and Regional government in
order to establish infrastructure in this underdeveloped region.

[Byline: Bonifacio Taban Kuich]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[The World Health Organisation map of immunization coverage with
measles-containing vaccines in infants shows that in 2006,
immunization coverage in Sudan lagged behind that in most other
regions of the world. This map can be accessed at:
<http://www.who.int/immunization_monitor ... verage.jpg>).

Unity State will become part of the new independent country of South
Sudan in February 2011, depending on the outcome of the current
referendum in southern Sudan. Implementation of comprehensive measles
vaccination will be among the immediate tasks of the new administration.

A map of Sudan showing the location of Unity State (Al Wahda can be
accessed at:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/sudan/sudan- ... l-map.html>. - Mod.CP]

MEASLES - AFRICA (02): NIGERIA: (BAUCHI)
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Mon 24 Jan 2011
Source: The Sun News online [edited]
<http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/n ... 11-017.htm>


No fewer than 2000 cases of measles have been reported in the 20 local
government areas of Bauchi State. A World Health Organization (WHO)
Consultant, Dr. Habu Dahiru, made the disclosure during an in-house
training for members of the Bauchi State Chapter of Journalists
Initiatives on Immunization Against Polio, (JAP) in Bauchi.

Dahiru said Bauchi, Katagum and Toro local government areas had the
highest number of cases, making it alarmingly high compared to
reported cases in the same period last year [2010]. He described the
outbreak as alarming, considering the morbidity ratio which increased
in the last few months. Dahiru also said surveillance indicated that
the outbreak had spread to children who were above the initial target
of under 5 years, a development he said called for urgent attention by
all concerned medical and health authorities in order to check its
spread.

He stated that WHO and other donor agencies including UNICEF [United
Nations Children's Fund] were always ready to intervene. He called on
journalists to support the campaign through regular reports in the
media, as well as enlightening members of the public on the need to
cooperate during the immunization and vaccination exercise, which was
scheduled to be held later in the month [January 2011].

The WHO consultant pointed out that fixed units had been put in place
in all health facilities across the state for vaccination, while
mobile units would go from house to house to vaccinate children under
5 years. In her presentation on the overview of measles in Nigeria and
Bauchi State in particular, Mrs. Mojishola Afolabi of WHO said the
situation was still redeemable with concerted efforts by all the
medical and health stakeholders, pointing out that the involvement of
journalists in the Integrated Measles Campaign (IMC) would be of added
advantage, as people would be made aware that the disease was around
the corner. Afolabi added that the IMC would be done alongside the
normal [poliovirus] Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) in order to ensure
that the state maintained its zero WPV [wild poliovirus] status
attained since September 2009, when the last case was recorded in
Dambam Local Government Area.

Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development
Agency Dr. Musa Mohammed Dambam confirmed the outbreak but gave
assurances that enough vaccine was expected from the National Primary
Healthcare Development Agency as well as other donor agencies for the
IMC later in the month [January 2011]. Musa Dambam also expressed
worry that the situation had been made more difficult with the
infection of people of older ages by the disease, thereby increasing
morbidity by 2.0 percent, assuring, however, that the situation would
soon get back to normal, calling on journalists to join in the
campaign through their various media organisations.

[Byline: Paul Orude]

--
Communicated by HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[The Global Measles Initiative, launched in 2001, was a long-term
commitment and partnership among leaders in public health and
supported the goal of reducing measles deaths globally by 90 percent
by 2010 compared to 2000 estimates. Considerable progress toward that
goal was achieved, but recently in some parts of Africa, and in
Nigeria in particular, there has been a resurgence of measles during
the past year [2010]. It is hoped that the situation in Bauchi state
can be contained and reversed by an aggressive vaccination campaign.

A map of Nigeria showing the location of Bauchi can be accessed at:
<http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/Maps/Ni ... tates.html>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Nigeria is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/007*>. - Mod.CP]

Nigeria - Masern
27.01.2011

Aus Bauchi (NO) wird im Januar ein Ausbruch mit mindestens 2.000 Erkrankten gemeldet, eine große Impfkampagne ist geplant. Nach deutschem Impfkalender sind zwei Impfungen empfohlen. Eine fehlende Impfung kann jederzeit, auch anlässlich einer Reise, nachgeholt werden. / Quelle: crm