Measles toll in Congo exceeds 5,000: WHO
A measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 5,000 people this year, many of them young children, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
Low immunization rates and high levels of malnutrition have fueled the epidemic and high mortality rates, especially in North Kivu province, which is also reeling from an Ebola epidemic, it said.
"Since the start of 2019, more than 250,000 suspected (measles) cases and over 5,000 deaths mostly among children under 5 years, have been recorded," the WHO said in a statement.
A first measles vaccination campaign was launched to protect people against the infectious disease that has struck all of the country's 26 provinces, it said.
A third phase of the campaign is planned, with the ultimate aim of reaching 18.9 million children across the country by year-end, it added.
"While the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has won the world’s attention and progress is being made in saving lives, we must not forget the other urgent health needs the country faces," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Vaccination is most challenging in North Kivu, where 2.2 million people are to be vaccinated in this round, because of high insecurity following armed attacks that make some areas inaccessible to aid workers, WHO said.
The world's second biggest Ebola epidemic on record has killed more than 2,200 people since mid-2018, but new infections slowed in recent months, the WHO said last week, while warning that Ebola was likely to resurge.
(Source: Reuters)
French troops begin departure from Chad
France begins pulling out military forces from Chad: Army
South Africa's anti-Apartheid effort to isolate Israel
‘All wars have rules. All of those rules have been broken’ by Israel
VIDEO | Report flags India’s violation of rights of Rohingya detainees
Turkey's foreign minister meets Syria's de facto leader in Damascus
'Next to impossible' to rescue patients from Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital: Director
VIDEO | Vietnam current prosperity
Report blames gasoil exports for shortage at Iranian power plants
VIDEO | Hind Rajab Foundation names Israeli war criminals vacationing after Gaza genocide
VIDEO | Australians rally for Gaza ahead of Christmas festivities
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
