Context
India is one of 10 countries that account for 55% of unvaccinated children against measles globally, according to WHO-UNICEF estimates.
About Measles
- Highly contagious viral disease caused by the measles virus, a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae.
- Transmission: Airborne disease that spreads through person-to-person contact.
- Vulnerable Groups:
- Unvaccinated young children
- Pregnant persons are at the highest risk of severe measles complications.
- Prevalent Regions: Measles remains common in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
- There is no specific treatment for measles.
- Vaccines: The primary method for preventing measles is vaccination. There are several types of measles vaccines:
- MMR Vaccine: This combined vaccine protects against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella.
- MMRV Vaccine: This combined vaccine protects against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella (chickenpox).
- In some regions, a single measles vaccine may be available but is less commonly used compared to the MMR and MMRV vaccines.
About Immunisation Agenda 2030
- By World Health Organisation
- Strategy for vaccines and immunization for the decade 2021–2030.
- A key goal of IA2030 is to reduce the number of zero-dose children by half by 2030.
Source:
The Print
Previous Year Question
H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) AIDS
(b) Bird flu
(c) Dengue
(d) Swine flu
Answer: (d)
