World Health Organization (WHO) Registers Record Number Of Measles Cases In Europe In Past Decade

More than 41,000 children and adults in Europe have been infected with the measles virus within the first half of 2018, a figure which exceeds each annual total for this decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2018) More than 41,000 children and adults in Europe have been infected with the measles virus within the first half of 2018, a figure which exceeds each annual total for this decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.

"Over 41 000 children and adults in the WHO European Region have been infected with measles in the first 6 months of 2018. The total number for this period far exceeds the 12-month totals reported for every other year this decade. So far, the highest annual total for measles cases between 2010 and 2017 was 23 927 for 2017, and the lowest was 5273 for 2016," the WHO said in a press release.

The organization added that at least 37 people had died from measles this year, with the highest number of measles-related deaths (14 cases) registered in Serbia.

According to the health organization, Ukraine has been one of the hardest hit countries, with more than 23,000 people affected over the first half of the year.

A total of 43 countries out of 53 WHO European Region member states have stopped the endemic spread of measles, the organization added, citing the latest assessment by the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) released earlier in the day.

Measles is a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease which is a leading cause of death among young children.