This year, 4 times more cases of measles were recorded in Ukraine than last year. The latter was discovered in Kyiv
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Ukraine recorded 4 times more measles cases than last year. In 8 months of 2023, 43 cases of measles were registered (of which 21 were in children), the Ministry of Health reports. This year, measles was detected in 11 regions. The last case was in Kyiv – a 13-year-old unvaccinated child fell ill. Now she is in the hospital under medical supervision. “34 students of one of the Kyiv gymnasiums who came in contact with the child are healthy and have no symptoms of the disease. Their condition is being monitored. The entire class has been transferred to online education until the end of September,” says the Ministry of Health. At the same time, 11 cases of measles were registered for the whole of 2022. Read also: What to do if a child has been in contact with a measles patient? Instruction of the Ministry of Health Source: Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health says that due to the low level of vaccination coverage, Ukraine is at risk of a measles outbreak. The last such outbreak was recorded in 2017-2019. 41 people died then (25 were children). “But outbreaks are cyclical and recur approximately once every five years,” the Ministry of Health says. Complications of measles are one of the common causes of child mortality in the world. Measles is dangerous for all unvaccinated people, but unvaccinated children are most vulnerable to it. The disease can last four weeks or longer, have a very severe course. Its complications include inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), ear infection (otitis media), inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), other serious complications, as well as disability and death. There is no specific treatment for measles – the only possible way to protect yourself is vaccination, the Ministry of Health emphasizes. Two doses of the vaccine are required to protect against measles. In Ukraine, they are made at the age of one and six years. The vaccine is provided by the state free of charge. If the child did not receive the first or second dose of the vaccine according to the schedule, they should be given as soon as possible. In order for children who missed vaccinations for various reasons to catch up, the Ministry of Health initiated a nationwide campaign to vaccinate children against measles. Vaccinations can be obtained from a family doctor or a pediatrician, at vaccination points, children’s points of UNICEF “Together”. There are also 312 mobile brigades operating in Ukraine, which travel to carry out vaccinations to remote areas, people with reduced mobility. You can find out the address of the nearest vaccination point or find out the contacts of the regional vaccination coordinator to call a mobile brigade at the contact center of the Ministry of Health at the number 0 800 60 20 19. We will remind you that earlier it was found that more than 6 thousand children in Kyiv are not vaccinated against measles. The Ministry of Health fears an outbreak and calls for vaccination. At the same time, the department explained what contraindications there are to vaccination against measles. Read also: The probability of a measles outbreak this year is very high: why is it dangerous?
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