KABUL: The World Health Organization (WHO) has released alarming figures regarding measles outbreaks in Afghanistan, with 18,744 suspected cases reported since the onset of 2024, resulting in 94 deaths.
Of these suspected cases, 80.5% (15,096) affected children under five years old, with 45.1% (8,462) being females.
Balkh province recorded the highest incidence rate of suspected measles, with 14.6 cases per 10,000 individuals, followed by Samangan with 14.3, Khost with 11.3, and Farah with 10.3.
Despite the concerning numbers, there has been a recent decline in the epidemiological curve of suspected measles cases over the past four weeks, following a surge since late November 2023. Factors contributing to this decline include diminishing community transmission as winter recedes in some regions and the effectiveness of a comprehensive vaccination campaign targeting 53 districts across 13 provinces.
During the 16th week of 2024, there were 1,316 suspected cases reported, along with seven associated deaths, indicating a stabilization in the number of cases compared to the previous week.
