Kyrgyzstan: More than 14,000 measles cases in 2024, 229 cases to start 2025
The Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Health has already reported 229 measles cases since the beginning of the year, with nearly two-thirds of the cases (144) reported in the capital city of Bishkek.
This come after 14,380 cases of measles were reported in 2024., including 5,681 cases in the capital.
Officials say the main reason for the increase in measles in the country is the dropping vaccination rate. In Bishkek, the vaccination rate is a meager 69 percent, compared to the recommended rate of 95 percent.
Last year, three stages of additional and catch-up vaccination were carried out in the country. A total of 918,000 children and 29,258 healthcare workers, teachers and students of secondary and higher educational institutions were vaccinated.
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To prevent the further spread of measles, the Ministry continues to conduct campaigns to mop up immunization of children aged 9 months to 7 years, but achieving full coverage of people is difficult due to refusals to vaccinate. For this reason, serious epidemiological risks arise, since the virus is actively spreading among unvaccinated children.
Following the meeting of the operational headquarters, it was decided to: strengthen the implementation of preventive and anti-epidemiological measures to combat measles, maintaining the level of coverage with preventive vaccinations of at least 95%; strengthen explanatory work among the population, organize information and educational campaigns aimed at explaining the safety and importance of vaccination.