Over 5.5 thsd cases of measles registered in Kyrgyzstan

According to data of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis of Kyrgyzstan, 5,532 cases of measles have been identified in the country since the beginning of 2023, the press service of the Ministry of Health reported, Kabar reports. 

Analysis of the age distribution of measles cases shows a high percentage of children: under the age of 1 year - 1,461 cases (26.4%), between the ages of 1 and 4 years - 2,421 cases (43.7%), from 5 to 9 years - 992 cases (17.9%), from 10 to 14 years - 222 cases (4.0%), from 15 to 19 years - 52 cases (0.9%), from 20 to 29 years - 228 cases (4. 1%) and 30 years and older - 156 cases.

According to the vaccination status of the sick, 87.3% or 4,832 patients were not vaccinated. 1,453 cases were not vaccinated due to age (26.2%), 2,195 cases were due to refusals (39.6%), 177 cases were due to internal migration (3.1%), 532 cases were due to medical withdrawals (9. 6%), 397 cases with unknown vaccination status (7.1%).

Active circulation of the measles virus is observed in Bishkek, Jalal-Abad and Chui regions, where transmission of the virus occurs among unvaccinated children in organized groups. There are also active outbreaks in other areas.

To contain a measles outbreak, catch-up immunization against measles and rubella is carried out as part of routine immunization with the rubella-mumps-measles vaccine. Due to the increase in the incidence of measles among children in organized groups, when measles is detected, contact persons of all ages are urgently vaccinated within 72 hours.