Ethiopia measles cases near 30,000
In Ethiopia, health officials report 29,391 suspected measles cases, including 27,423 (93.3%) confirmed cases and 210 deaths, through mid-October this year.
Nearly nine out of 10 of the cases (87%) were reported in six regions: Oromia (12,444), South Ethiopia (3,759), Amhara (3,672), Sidama (2,799), Central Ethiopia (1,733), and Benshangul Gumuz (1,203).
A total of 16,355 cases (55.6%) have occurred among children under five, with 61.4% having received no dose of the measles containing vaccine.
The World Health Organization states: The ongoing measles outbreak in Ethiopia highlights significant gaps in immunization coverage, especially among unvaccinated children under five. The continued transmission in some areas and delays in vaccination campaigns due to security challenges underscore the critical need for strengthened surveillance and vaccination efforts. Additionally, efforts must reinforce routine immunization programs to prevent future outbreaks and ensure sustained coverage across all regions.
Ethiopia records nearly 1 million malaria cases in past month
This year in Africa, a total of 232,363 measles cases and 3,136 deaths have been reported from 30 African Union Member States with the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported the most cases and deaths with 92,653 and 2,162, respectively.