2024-02-23 22:16:38
The increase in cases of measles around the world, a disease having been eliminated in Canada, worries national public health, which fears the emergence of cases imported into the country during spring break.
• Read also: Measles: WHO warns of sharp rise in disease worldwide
The Chief National Public Health Officer, Theresa Tam, indicated in a press release that she feared “that the resurgence of measles around the world combined with the decrease in measles vaccination coverage among school-aged children in Canada would lead to an increase in the number of imported cases of measles.
This “might result in transmission in Canadian communities,” she adds.
As of February 23, 2024, six cases of measles have been recorded in the country, several of which required hospitalization.
Dr. Tam therefore advises all Canadians to receive two doses of the measles vaccine, especially before traveling.
“The measles vaccine should preferably be administered at least two weeks before departure, but there are still benefits if administered less than two weeks before travel,” she says. Anyone not vaccinated once morest measles runs the risk of being infected with this disease when traveling abroad.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious complications such as deafness, brain damage or even death.
It is often unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children who catch it while traveling abroad.
Children under 5 years old, adults over 20 years old, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are most exposed to its complications.
According to 2021 statistics, 91.6% of children under 2 years old in the country had received at least one dose of the vaccine, but only 79.2% of children aged 7 had received two doses.
The number of measles cases was 30 times higher in 2023 compared to the previous year in the WHO European region.
This disease has also reached its highest level in 25 years in the United States.
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