Most Measles Cases Are in Unvaccinated Children

According to her, the incidence of tuberculosis in the country has decreased by 3.4%, including a 3.7% drop in respiratory tuberculosis cases. Thanks to ongoing preventive and anti-epidemic measures, the epidemiological situation regarding measles has stabilized. In December 2024, 81 measles cases were registered, compared to 10,339 cases during the same period in 2023. Most of the cases were in children who had not received routine vaccinations.

“The stabilization of the situation was facilitated by the additional mass immunization of children under 5 years old and medical workers, during which 1.5 million people were vaccinated with funds allocated from Kazakhstan’s Government Reserve for the procurement of vaccines against measles, rubella, and mumps. This led to a 99.2% reduction in the disease’s prevalence. Since the beginning of this year, 64 cases of measles have been recorded, with the majority of these cases in unvaccinated children, who account for over 83% of the total number of infected children,” said the spokesperson.

Thanks to the ongoing preventive and anti-epidemic measures, including routine and catch-up immunization, the epidemiological situation regarding whooping cough has also stabilized. There is a noted 73% decrease in incidence compared to the peak registration period (July – 390 cases, December – 105 cases). Since the start of this year, 55 cases of whooping cough have been recorded, with a rate of 0.3 per 100,000 population. As part of catch-up immunization against whooping cough, more than 186,000 children who missed their scheduled vaccinations have been vaccinated.

The Ministry also supports the World Health Organization’s strategy to expand the list of infectious diseases against which effective vaccines are available. In 2024, as part of the Comprehensive Plan to Combat Cancer for 2023-2025, vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for girls was introduced.

Starting in September 2024, HPV vaccination for 11-year-old girls and catch-up vaccination for 12-13-year-old girls began. To date, more than 114.4 thousand girls have been vaccinated, with 64.1 thousand being 11 years old, and 50.3 thousand being 12-13 years old. No adverse reactions following the vaccination have been reported.

“I remind everyone that the epidemic season for ARVI and influenza continues. To prevent illness, we recommend following simple preventive measures: limit visits to crowded places, especially enclosed spaces; regularly ventilate rooms; use antiseptics or disinfecting wipes to clean hands; avoid contact with sick individuals, ensuring their isolation; if flu or ARVI symptoms appear, keep children at home and avoid sending them to organized groups (preschool institutions, schools), and seek medical help promptly if symptoms develop,” the representative concluded.