Kyrgyzstan grappling with second wave of measles
Kyrgyzstan faces a second wave of measles, with majority of cases detected in Bishkek, Jalal-Abad and Chu districts, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis , 55,162 measles cases have been registered across the country since the year beginning. Of them, 1,627 are laboratory-confirmed, 1,231 are clinically confirmed, and 2,304 are epidemiologically related cases. The incidence rate is intensive and stands at 75.0 per 100,000 population.
From November 27 to December 3, measles cases have been reported in Osh city, as well as in Osh, Naryn and Issyk-Kul districts.
The rise in cases is explained with low immunization rate among children, due to missed vaccination, refusal of vaccination by parents and heightened external and internal migration in Bishkek and Osh cities, since migrant children cannot register at clinics and miss scheduled vaccination.
The country launched additional immunization of children against measles and rubella, to localize measles outbreak in organized groups.
