The number of measles cases in South Korea has reached a six-year high – The Guardian
Kyiv • UNN
South Korea has recorded the highest number of measles cases in the past six years, mainly due to unvaccinated travelers from Vietnam. The risk of rapid outbreaks remains low due to vaccination.
South Korea has recorded the highest number of measles cases in the past six years amid outbreaks of the disease across Southeast Asia and the United States. However, according to the local agency for disease control and prevention, the risk of rapid outbreaks in the country remains low due to stable vaccination.
This is reported by UNN with reference to The Guardian.
Details
As the publication notes, this week the Korean Agency for Disease Control and Prevention (KDCA) reported that 52 cases of measles have already been confirmed in the country this year. This is the highest figure since 2019, when 194 cases were registered.
At the same time, only 49 patients were registered for the entire 2024. Background In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared South Korea "measles-free", but it is believed that foreign travel and an aging population have contributed to the increase in the number of cases.
South Korea is not the only country experiencing outbreaks of measles, which experts consider the most contagious infectious disease. Alarm is growing due to outbreaks in the United States (particularly in Texas), Thailand and Vietnam. The United States, in turn, is experiencing the largest measles outbreak in a quarter of a century.
We live in a world of post-collective immunity," said one of the leading immunologists. Experts warn that outbreaks in the US and Asia could return this "heat missile",
Situation in other countries The Ministry of Health of Vietnam stated that this year officials have detected about 40,000 suspected cases of measles and five deaths from it. This prompted calls to speed up vaccination of children.
According to media reports, 6,725 cases and 13 deaths were confirmed in Vietnam in 2024, with most deaths occurring among children and the elderly with underlying diseases. According to data provided to WHO by member states, 7,507 cases were registered in Thailand in 2024, compared to only 38 in 2023.
The latest data indicates that the measles outbreak in Vietnam is still ongoing, and we are seeing a steady increase in the number of cases in central and northern Vietnam, including new outbreaks in parts of the country where no cases or clusters of cases have been reported before
Outbreaks in the US and Southeast Asia have raised concerns that Australia could also become a "breeding ground" for the disease.
Outbreaks in South Korea
Outbreaks in South Korea are linked to unvaccinated travelers from abroad. Of the 52 cases reported by KDCA this week, 34 involved people who arrived from abroad, mostly from Vietnam
The global increase in measles is likely to lead to an increase in the number of imported cases. The risk of rapid outbreaks remains low due to our stable vaccination rates and monitoring system
Measles vaccination
According to infectious disease experts, a two-dose measles vaccination in childhood is approximately 99% effective in preventing measles.
Due to the high contagiousness of measles and significant gaps in immunity, many unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children are at risk of infection
According to a fact sheet on the website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles can cause serious complications in vulnerable children and adults, including pneumonia, encephalitis and death.
