Russia faces worst measles outbreak in 30 years amid vaccine woes
In Russia, a record number of measles cases has been reported - according to the "Meduza" portal. People are increasingly suffering from whooping cough, chickenpox, and other infections. Both adults and children can get vaccinated against them.
Measles is a disease caused by the paramyxovirus, mainly occurring in preschool-aged children. It is most commonly transmitted through respiratory droplets and, less often, through contact with the urine of an infected person.
The most significant risk is for small children under five and those with weakened immune systems. One-quarter of infected individuals require hospitalisation, and one in a thousand infected people dies.
In recent years, Europe has been struggling with increasing measles cases. Russia, too, is confronting this challenge, experiencing the highest number of measles cases in 30 years. In 2023 alone, 13,000 people were infected, 128 times more than the previous year.
As reported by the independent Russian portal "Meduza," the prevalence of other infectious diseases has also increased. In 2023, nearly 53,000 people contracted whooping cough (17 times more than in 2022), marking a record in Russia since the dissolution of the USSR, as noted by the "To Be Precise" project.
Obtaining up-to-date information on the infectious situation in Russia is currently tricky. In 2024, Rospotrebnadzor ceased providing monthly data on this matter.
Measles cases are on the rise worldwide. However, Russian rates remain relatively high: across the entire European Union in 2023, there were 5.5 times fewer cases of the disease than in Russia, that is, 0.5 cases per 100,000 people (compared to Russia's 8.92). In the United States in 2023, there were 131 measles cases, equivalent to 0.04 per 100,000 people.
The World Health Organization claims that vaccine and medication deliveries were disrupted during the pandemic, resulting in millions of children missing out on necessary vaccinations. In Russia, 97 per cent of six-year-old children were vaccinated against measles in 2022, but in 2023, this figure dropped to only 73 per cent.
One reason is that in 2023, the company MSD ceased supplying Russia with the M-M-R-II vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella.
What symptoms accompany measles?
The symptoms of measles in children, which appear as early as possible, resemble a common cold. These include:
- sore throat,
- runny nose,
- dry cough,
- redness of the eyes,
- photophobia,
- inflammation of the mucous membranes.
Over time, another, most characteristic symptom of measles emerges - a coarse, spotted rash. It appears on the 4th-5th day of illness and lasts about a week. It most often occurs with very high fever, reaching up to 40°C (rounded from 104°F). It may be accompanied by cyanosis, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and excessive sleepiness and apathy, typical for measles.
