Measles: vaccination saves millions of lives

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MunichFewer and fewer people are dying of measles - thanks to the vaccination. In the past twelve years, the little Piks saved the lives of almost 14 million people. The World Health Organization (WHO) has now published this positive extrapolation, but measles remains a global threat.

One billion vaccinations since 2000

According to the WHO, 78 percent fewer people died of measles worldwide in 2012 than in 2000. The registered diseases also fell from 853,480 to 226,722. The experts explain this development with the good vaccination coverage, especially among children: since 2000, around one billion infants have had measles injections. In other words, around 84 percent of all newborns worldwide are currently vaccinated before they are one year old. In 145 countries, children are vaccinated a second time after the first dose to increase vaccination protection.

Outbreaks also in Germany

But the disease is by no means eradicated. 300 people worldwide still die of measles every day. So far, only the American continent is free from the disease. The Republic of the Congo, India and the Ukraine are particularly hard hit. But there have also been repeated outbreaks of the disease in Germany in recent years. In 2013, for example, 1,775 measles cases were reported in Germany.

The measles in battle announced

The WHO has the ambitious goal of eradicating the disease worldwide by 2020. To do this, 95 percent of the world's population would have to receive a vaccination and a subsequent booster. As an interim goal, the number of people vaccinated for the first time is to be increased to 90 percent by 2015. This would reduce the death rate by a total of 95 percent compared to the year 2000.

Measles is not a harmless childhood disease, but a serious infection that can lead to pneumonia and encephalitis, for example. Although children are more often affected overall, life-threatening complications are more common in adults. The disease is triggered by viruses. In addition to the typical red patches of skin, fever and an illness of the upper respiratory tract occur. Measles are highly contagious. Along with chickenpox, they are one of the most easily transmitted diseases. (away)

Source: World Health Organization (WHO): Weekly epidemiological record, February 7, 2014

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