Concerning! Here's How 'Perfect Storm' Pandemic Caused 80% Spike In Measles Cases Worldwide

Measles cases around the globe have witnessed a staggering 80 per cent this year, the United Nations (UN) said on April 27, alerting that the spike of the "canary in a coal mine" illness indicates that the outspread of other diseases is now likely on the way as well.

The ongoing COVID pandemic massively interrupted the vaccination campaigns for non-Covid diseases worldwide, causing a "perfect storm" that may put millions of kids' lives at risk, the UN's children's agency, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed in an official release.

Measles Cases Spiking Worldwide

Over 17,300 cases of measles were reported worldwide just in January and February this year, in comparison to approximately 9,600 during those months last year, as per the latest data from the UN agencies.

The data also shows that there have been 21 large and disruptive measles outbreaks in the last 12 months to April, most of them in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

In UNICEF's immunisation section, Christopher Gregory, the senior health adviser, stated that measles is the "most contagious vaccine-preventable disease" and often serves as a warning sign.

"Measles is what we call the tracer, or the canary in the coal mine, that really shows us where those weaknesses in the immunisation system are," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Furthermore, Christopher also added that yellow fever was among the diseases that could witness a sudden spike next amid more cases reported in West Africa.

Worrying Numbers Worldwide!

Somalia has reported the most measles cases over the past year, with over 9,000, the UN data revealed. Somalia is closely followed by Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Ethiopia -- all of these nations that are fighting some sort of conflict at present.

Furthermore, there is also a fear the ongoing war in Ukraine could ignite a resurgence in the nation after it reported Europe's highest rate of measles between 2017 and 2019.

Gregory claimed that it had been challenging to keep a record of any disease in Ukraine due to the war while also adding that the biggest concern was "what we could be missing".

Consequences 'Felt For Decades'

Over 23 million kids missed out on routine vaccinations during 2020 amid the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the largest total in more than a decade.

The UN agencies also stated that 57 vaccination campaigns in 43 nations were postponed during the start of the global pandemic and have not been completed, concerning 203 million people -- most of them being kids.

Also Read: Feel The Heat! Brutal Heatwave In India Leaves Millions Struggling To Cope