Measles Outbreak:At least 2000 cases recorded in Burkina Faso

As the nation fights a widespread outbreak, more than 2,000 youngsters in Burkina Faso are thought to have come into contact with the measles in the last four months.

The virus that causes measles is extremely contagious and primarily affects children.

The most dangerous side effects include severe respiratory infections, brain edoema, diarrhoea, and blindness.

The charitable organisation Save the Children said in a statement on Friday that since the outbreak began in November 2023, the nation has seen over 2,000 cases and seven fatalities.

According to the group, this number will essentially remain the same in 2023.

According to Save the Children, 96 percent of cases involve children between the ages of one and fifteen. The outbreak is still active, with over 1,700 cases reported in February alone.

With almost 37% of cases documented, the capital centre region has been the most hit, according to the statement.

“While measles is preventable with two doses of a vaccine, Save the Children data shows that unvaccinated individuals accounted for nearly 90% of the confirmed measles cases.

“Globally, measles cases surged 79% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to WHO, mainly due to missed vaccinations and overwhelmed health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Burkina Faso is prone to measles outbreaks, with the country reporting 2,190 measles cases in 2023, 252 cases in 2022, 3,866 cases in 2021, and 2,480 cases in 2020.”

Source