BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 27. There were 30,601 confirmed cases of measles in Europe and Central Asia between January through December 5, 2023, compared to 909 cases during 2022, an increase of 3,266 percent, Trend reports, referring to the UNICEF report.
UNICEF has announced the figures in a report on the spread of measles in Europe and Central Asia.
The data also indicates a recent worsening tendency, with measles incidence rates in Europe and Central Asia nearly doubling between October and November 2023. Due to declining immunity, the increase in cases in the region is expected to continue.
According to the latest UNICEF data, Kazakhstan has the highest measles incidence rate, with 69 cases per 100,000 population, or 13,254 cases. Kyrgyzstan has the second-highest rate of measles cases, with 58 cases per 100,000 population, or 3,811 cases. Romania, which declared a national measles outbreak last week, has 9.6 cases per 100,000 population, or 1,855 cases.
As UNICEF notes, measles has a devastating impact on child health and can sometimes be fatal. It causes a long-term weakening of children's immune systems, making them more vulnerable to other infectious diseases, including pneumonia.
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