Measles and rubella cases rise in Kyrgyzstan

Since the beginning of the year, 41 cases of measles and 6 cases of rubella have been detected in Kyrgyzstan.

This was announced by the Ministry of Health of the country.

According to the lates information, the main reason is the decrease in the coverage of routine immunization against measles and rubella for children and adults, the growth comes from the number of refusals of preventive vaccinations. The department is working on vaccinating Kyrgyzstanis against these diseases.

“WHO stated that currently in the European region of the organization there is an increase in the incidence of measles in the following countries: Tajikistan – 513 cases, Türkiye – 286, Russia – 233, Kazakhstan – 75, Great Britain – 56.

Measles is a contagious infectious disease caused by a virus. The infection is characterized by high susceptibility. If a person who has not previously had measles and has not been vaccinated comes into contact with a sick person, the probability of getting sick for him is extremely high. Measles is transmitted by airborne droplets. The patient is contagious to others from the last two days of the incubation period until the fourth day of the rash.

At the beginning of the disease, symptoms similar to colds appear: general malaise, lethargy, headache. On the first or second day of the disease, small whitish spots appear on the mucous membrane of the cheeks, and then from the fourth or fifth day from the onset of the disease, a gradual spread of the rash is noted: first, behind the ears, on the face, neck, over the next day, the rash appears on the trunk and arms, and then on your feet. In the next 3-5 days, with a favorable course, the symptoms decrease, the temperature decreases.

Vaccination is the only way to protect. According to the preventive vaccination schedule, immunization against measles and rubella is carried out for children at 1 and 6 years of age.

It should be noted that at the beginning of the year, a measles outbreak in Bishkek was reported on social networks, but this was denied by the Ministry of Health. In January 2023, a total of four cases of measles were registered in Kyrgyzstan, one of them was imported from Turkey.