Why in the News?

An estimated 11 lakh children in India missed their crucial first dose of measles vaccine in 2022, according to a report by the World Health Organization and US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What is Measles?

• Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus.
• It is caused by the Morbillivirus of the Paramyxoviridae family.
• It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
• It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death.
• Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children.
• Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body.
• Symptoms: Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and a rash all over the body.
• Measles typically starts with a strong fever about 10 to 14 days after getting infected.
• In the beginning, it starts with a runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.
• After a few days, a rash appears, usually on the face and upper neck.
• This rash spreads over about three days, reaching the hands and feet, and lasts for five to six days before fading away.
• Any non-immune person (not vaccinated or vaccinated but not developed immunity) can become infected.
• If a woman catches measles during pregnancy, this can be dangerous for the mother and can result in her baby being born prematurely with a low birth weight.
• Treatment: There is no specific treatment for measles.