N Kazakhstan confirms measles outbreak

A measles outbreak was recorded in May in North Kazakhstan. Measles cases doubled since 19 measles cases were detected in two families, Kazinform News Agency reports.

49 measles cases were detected in May against 33 reported in April, the press service of the sanitary and epidemiological control department reports. 19 cases were detected in two families that refused measles vaccination.

Measles cases have been recorded in the region since last March with 554 cases laboratory-confirmed. The highest number of measles cases was detected in the city of Petropavlovsk with 192.

165 cases or 53% were detected in children aged under 14 years old. 88% of those infected have never received measles vaccines.