Whole group of guests at a party held in New Jersey were to be checked for measles because two of those attending were from France and were found to have been "infected." If this is the concern in the United States, how bad is the situation in Europe where cases continue to spread. Already 6,500 cases are reported after a recent surge since the start of the year.

The WHO (World Health Organization) has reported cases in 30 countries, from France and Spain to Serbia and Turkey. And, as noted above in the New Jersey case, travel significantly raises risks. The Easter Holidays could prove another surge as after the New Years/Christmas holidays
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WHO’s Regional Director, Zsuzsanna Jakab warned : “With shared borders and considerable population movement, countries share health threats. There is a need to create strong partnerships to prevent and control diseases, such as measles, in our region,”

European Immunization Week is also this coming week,. It is being observed in 50 countries across Europe, the largest number since the initiative began. Ms. Jakab said the week offered the opportunity for “countries to come together and collaborate on joint planning of preventive measures and effective responses to the common threats we face from vaccine-preventable diseases. Only through this kind of collaboration can we achieve the goals of boosting vaccination coverage and eliminating measles and rubella by 2015.”

Measles are highly contagious and remain one of the world’s biggest causes of death among young children, an estimated 164,000 people dying from the virus in 2008. The disease is readily preventable and can be addressed through a safe and effective vaccine, and immunization campaigns worldwide have helped millions of children in high-risk areas. The number of deaths from measles slumped by an estimated 78 per cent between 2000 and 2008.


--- By Susan Sacirbey

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More Film Reports:
“World Health Day-Drug Resistant Diseases” - www.filmannex.com/movie/world-health-day-drug-resistance/26115
“Laos/Battling Tetanus & Poverty” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/laosbattling-tetanuspoverty/25105