Measles killed 150 in Afghanistan in January: WHO

KABUL (Pajhwok): A raging measles outbreak infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people in Afghanistan last month, says the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Geneva-based UN health agency said on Friday the outbreak was particularly concerning as Afghanistan was facing massive food insecurity and malnutrition.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a media briefing in the Swiss capital measles cases had been on the rise in all provinces of Afghanistan since the end of July 2021.

He said a total of 35,319 suspected measles cases were reported in January, including 3,000 that were laboratory confirmed, and 156 deaths. Ninety-one per cent of the cases and 97% of the deaths were children under the age of five.

AFP quoted Lindmeier as believing the measles-related deaths were probably underreported and the numbers could increase.

“The rapid rise in cases in January suggests that the number of deaths due to measles is likely to increase sharply in the coming weeks,” he added.

PAN Monitor/mud

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