Measles cases surge 10 percent in Kunar

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): The number of children infected with measles has increased in eastern Kunar province, but the sick children are treated and no one has so far died from the disease, health officials say.

Dr. Mehmood Riaz, in charge of investigating emergency cases at Kunar Public Health Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that measles cases had increased in the province with the advent of summer.

He said they registered 210 measles cases in the last six months, showing a 10 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

He said there were many reasons for the increase in measles cases and the most important factors were lack of vaccination and awareness.

Dr. Riaz said measles was a highly contagious virus and if not treated on time, it carried the risk of death.

Meanwhile, parents of most of the patients in the said hospital said their children had not received measles vaccine.

Hakima, a resident of Asadabad, whose three children are hospitalized due to measles, said she had not given her children the measles vaccine before, and according to her, this may be the reason why her children are sick now.

She said many children in their village were infected with measles, some of them had recovered and others suffering from severe fever.

Khan Jan, a resident of Marwara district, told Pajhwok that his five-year-old child was suffering from measles and now admitted in the provincial hospital for treatment.

He said: "We live in a remote mountainous area and there is no hospital nearby, and we bring patients to the center after traveling long distances."

He added anti-measles vaccine had not been administered to children in their areas and it could be the reason the children fell sick.

Medical experts say measles is a highly contagious and dangerous disease and its symptoms include pneumonia and fever and the best way to prevent the disease is vaccination.

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