A measles epidemic has been declared in Yoto prefecture, north-eastern Togo, announces a press release from the Togolese presidency.
The Togolese government has invited “anyone showing signs of fever with rash associated or not with other secondary signs (runny nose, red eyes, general fatigue, tearing)” to go to a public health facility.
A response vaccination once morest the disease was launched on March 17 throughout Yoto prefecture to contain the risk of spread, the document said. Already in January 2022, several cases of measles were detected in health districts, notably in Agoè, Avé, Bassar, Golfe and Zio.
Measles is a “severely highly contagious” disease that usually affects children. The disease virus is transmitted by the aspiration of droplets of secretions (nasal or pharyngeal) spread by an infected person. It is very often manifested by high fever, runny nose, red and watery eyes, etc., according to the World Health Organization (WHO).