2023-05-22 20:25:00
In Mauritania, a measles outbreak began in week 52 of 2022, followed by a period of significant increase in the number of cases until an epidemic peak recorded in week 4 of 2023. The total number of cases weeks gradually decreased over the following weeks. The first case of the current outbreak was reported by a refugee from camp de M’berra.
They have May 7, 2023the country notified 285 cas suspects of measles including 186 confirmed cases positive with 111 positive IgM tests and 75 epidemiologically linked cases. Three (3) deaths, including two community deaths, have been recorded to date. Of the confirmed cases, 70% were under the age of 15. Among children aged 9 to 59 months, 57% were not vaccinated once morest measles. In recent years, the country recorded a total of 22 confirmed cases in 2020, 747 cases in 2021 and 502 cases in 2022.
Since the beginning of 2023, cases have been notified in the three wilayas of Nouakchott (Nouakchott North, West et Sud) and in eight other wilayas in the interior of the country, and 27 departments out of a total of 44 have notified cases. The departments declaring the most cases are Bassikounou (60, 32,3%) de la wilaya du Hodh Ech Chargui, Touil (20, 10,8%) de la wilaya du Hodh el Gharbiet ksar (17, 9,1%) de la wilaya de West Nouakchott.
The national attack rate is 4.2 cases per 100,000 population. The departments with the highest attack rates are Bassikounou (52.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), Touil (39,5), Aoujeft (31,7) de la wilaya d’veinset ksar (25.2). In total, 14 departments crossed the epidemic threshold in 2023 and at week 18, seven departments (I choose, Aoujeft, Dar Naim, ksar, Magta-Lahjar, R’Kizet Toujounine) are in the epidemic phase.
The WHO and UNICEF national immunization coverage for measles-containing vaccines in 2021 for Mauritania was 63%, while the national administration coverage was 89% in 2021. These two estimates are below the 95% coverage required to maintain population immunity. Other reasons may be at the origin of epidemics: the high population density where epidemics occur, such as in the M’berra refugee camp located in the department of Bassikounou and in the highly populated wilayas of Nouakchott.
Source: World Health Organization
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