Measles

About Measles:

• Measles is a highly contagious viral disease.
• Transmission: It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.
• Symptoms: Initial symptoms include high fever, a runny nose and bloodshot eyes. Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.
• Health Impact: It can cause life-threatening complications including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss.
• Treatment: The disease is preventable through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine.
• Criteria for Measles elimination:
  • Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission in a region or other defined geographical area for more than 12 months.
  • Conversely, a country is no longer considered to be measles free if the virus returns and transmission is sustained continuously for more than a year.
• Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI):
  • M&RI is a partnership formed in 2001 of the American Red Cross, CDC, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO)
  • It is committed to achieving the Global Vaccine Action Plan goal of measles and rubella elimination in at least five WHO regions by 2020.

Source : All India Radio