WHO declares Brazil measles free
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared Brazil free of measles, after no case of the disease was registered in the year 2015.
The eradication of measles in Brazil is the conclusion of work spanning several years. The WHO had worked along with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to eradicate the disease.
From 1985 to 2000, Brazil did not saw any domestic cases of measles because of joint efforts to WHO and PAHO. But the disease broke out again in 2013 in the northeastern Brazilian states of Pernambuco and Ceara.
About Measles
- Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease transmitted orally, through mucus or saliva.
- It mainly affects children and can be spread rapidly through the air due to sneezing or a cough. Thus it is highly infectious airborne disease.
- The first symptoms of disease appear after 10 days with red spots on the skin. Most patients recover within three weeks.
- It can also cause pneumonia, blindness or even death in malnourished children. Most of those infected with this disease and who die are less than five years old.
- Annually Measles affects about 20 million people across the globe and primarily in the developing areas of Asia and Africa.
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Month: Current Affairs - July, 2016