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Health officials warn of measles outbreak in Iraq ahead of Arbaeen
Hossein Farshidi, Deputy Health Minister, said measles is a viral disease that primarily affects children, but adults without a history of vaccination or prior infection are also at risk, ISNA wrote.
The incubation period for measles ranges from 7 to 21 days, and the disease manifests as fever, respiratory symptoms, and reddish skin rashes that start on the face and spread to the limbs. The disease is contagious through respiratory droplets from four days before to four days after the appearance of the rash. Emphasizing the high contagiousness of measles, Farshidi stated that timely vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the disease.
Unfortunately, he noted that vaccination coverage in neighboring countries, including Iraq, has been inadequate to control measles, leading to outbreaks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
ccording to the World Health Organization’s data, Iraq has been experiencing a large measles epidemic since last year, with a significant increase in cases in recent months. The number of measles cases in 2023 was 9,651, but it has surged to 28,783 in the first six months of 2024.
Farshidi advised Iranians planning to travel to Iraq to ensure their children under 15 are fully vaccinated against measles by visiting health centers with their children’s vaccination cards and completing the vaccination if necessary.