Measles situation remains unstable in Astana – chief medical officer

The epidemiological situation with measles remains unstable in the Kazakh capital Astana, the city’s chief medical officer Sarkhat Beissenova said, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports. 

Up to 48 measles cases are recorded each day of this week. Since the beginning of January, the capital has seen 1,029 primary and 321 confirmed measles cases, including 227 among children under 14, said Beissenova during a briefing.

The speaker added that over 68% of those infected were unvaccinated, resulting in the spread of the disease in the capital.

The measles incidence rate has risen 1.1fold over the past week. Measles cases among adults have risen from 49 to 71, taking into account increased social contacts during the past New Year holidays. Meanwhile, there has been decline in measles cases in children under 1 and children at the age of 3 compared to December, she said.

Thus, according to the data presented, the share of children under one in the total number of people infected has declined from 14 to 8%, and that of 3-olds from 22 to 16%.