As America The cases have been struggling to contain the worst measles outbreak for years, and have spread to Mexico. in Report for April 25thMexico’s Ministry of Health reported that 583 cases have been filed domestically this year, with 560 being recorded in the Chihuahua border state. On April 27, the Chihuahua Health Office pushed the state’s number of confirmed cases to another 713. In comparison, the Pan American Health Organization reported. Only 7 confirmed cases All of Mexico in 2024.
The outbreak in Chihuahua is partly due to its proximity to Texas and is adjacent to the north. A major outbreak has been underway in US states since late January, and the incident in Mexico has been reported. Linked to the north of the border. The US recorded 884 This year, measles cases have been confirmed from 285 to 285 in 2024, with three deaths from the illness. Of the US incidents this year, 646 were in Texas.
To prevent the measles virus from spreading further throughout Mexico, the Ministry of Health Travel warning The US and Canada are also seeing a rapid rise in cases. The ministry encourages travelers to ensure they are up to date with vaccinations, practice social distancing, wear masks and wash their hands frequently.
The decline in vaccination levels have also helped to promote the Mexican incident, as in the US. In 98% of cases in the US this year, patients, whether adults or children, had no history of vaccination against measles. In early April, it was reported that a 31-year-old man who had not been vaccinated against measles had died of illness in a Chihuahua.
Measles is so contagious that a very high vaccination rate (95%) across the community is required to stop the spread of the virus. However, vaccination rates in Mexico are shaking. Children are due to receive two doses of the measles vaccine. This is usually between 12 and 15 months, and is expected to receive a second dose within the next few years. According to WHO, 2023 Only 76% Children under the age of 2 in Mexico were receiving the measles vaccine.
If the rate does not improve, this could result in the disease becoming endemic again in North America. According to an analysis by an epidemiologist at Stanford University, at current state-level vaccination rates in the United States, measles could reestablish itself and be steadily present in the country over the next 20 years. This will kill 2,500 people over the next 25 years.
In response to the urgent need to reverse the decline in vaccinations in Mexico, the Ministry of Health has launched National Prevention Week, the country’s first vaccination campaign since the Covid-19 pandemic. From April 26th to May 3rd, the plan is to increase vaccine levels in the groups most vulnerable to measles. This is a child between 1 and 9 years old. The ministry hopes to keep 1.8 million children up to date with shots by providing free vaccines at hospitals, clinics, schools and health centres.
Measles isn’t the only targeted in Mexico. Children over the age of 4 are also offered DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccines, and pneumococcal boosters are offered at age 12 months. Adolescents, adults over the age of 60, and pregnant women are also invited to get the specific vaccine they need.
Measles is a viral disease and is considered one of the most contagious in the world. It spreads mostly among children. It is transmitted through air and in contact with infected nasal or pharyngeal secretions, initially affecting the airways. Symptoms include high fever, cough, abundant nasal drainage, and skin rashes that spread throughout the body. Complications include blindness, encephalitis (brain inflammation), diarrhea, dehydration, ear infections, and pneumonia. In severe cases, it is fatal.
This story originally appeared Wired enspañol Translated from Spanish.
