Two major public health bodies have now declared measles as an “imminent threat” to the global community.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) feared that a record decline of measles vaccination rates and persistent outbreaks mean that the respiratory virus is an “imminent threat in every region of the world”.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was “absolutely critical” that immunisation programs were bought back on track to avoid what he said is a “preventable disease”.

“The paradox of the pandemic is that while vaccines against Covid-19 were developed in record time and deployed in the largest vaccination campaign in history, routine immunisation programs were badly disrupted, and millions of kids missed out on lifesaving vaccinations against deadly diseases like measles,” said Dr Ghebreyesus.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses, being transmitted through water droplets released in sneezes and coughs coming from infected people. In fact, the CDC states that nine out of 10 people who are not vaccinated against the disease will become infected in the advent of exposure.

Common symptoms include fever, cold-symptoms, conjunctivitis and red and blotchy rashes that first appear around the face and hairline before spreading around the body.

The measles, mumps and rubella-containing vaccines administered through childhood are considered the best defence against the disease and significantly reduce outbreaks.

According to the WHO, India, Somalia and Yemen are the three countries with the largest measles outbreak. As always, consult your doctor if you’re concerned about measles or vaccination updates.

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