Fit & Healthy The measles in Europe in march. In all countries there is an increase of the infectious disease. Belgium is an exception, thanks to the high vaccination coverage in the us. Virologist is in order, Marc Van Ranst (kuleuven) is not immediately concerned with the establishment of 14 cases of measles in the past two weeks in Brussels, compared to 13 in the whole of 2018. But the rise of the measles generally, however, disturbing. Van Ranst highlights the danger of the antivaccinatiebeweging.
The 14 recently identified cases of measles in Brussels “is a lot,” says Van Ranst. “And there may still be more.” the
Because the fact is that the measles on the rise: the number of measles cases in Europe quadrupled almost in 2018: from 21.315 to 82.596 cases, for instance, WHO at the beginning of February yet known. Ukraine was with more than 53,000 cases in the hardest-hit, but also in countries such as Romania, Greece, Germany, France and Italy the disease is on the rise.
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Belgium going against the trend. The vaccination coverage in Flanders is very high, thanks to concerted and sustained campaigns by the Child and the Family. There is also regularly highlighted the risk of traveling to countries such as Greece or Italy, where measles is a bigger problem. In our country were last year 120 of the infections listed and 369 in 2017. “The year before, there were 600 cases in Belgium and 5,000 in Europe”, adds the virologist is in order. the
the Dead
Also outside Europe, store measles, sometimes with serious consequences. So it caused an epidemic in Madagascar, recently more than 900 dead. An outbreak in the Philippines demanded a 136 kill.
“Congratulations, antivaxers! Your dream has become a reality: this is what it everywhere is going to happen when people stop with their children to be vaccinated because they listen to your demented and dangerous rumours”, tweeted Van Ranst, the day before yesterday on the news from Madagascar.
This is what happens anywhere will happen when people stop with their children to be vaccinated because they listen to demented life and words
virologist is in order, Marc Van Ranst (KU Leuven),
Fake news
Van Ranst points with the finger to the antivaccinatiebeweging; people who consciously refrain from vaccination and via social media and the internet fake news about the health risks of vaccinating spread. “In Flanders it is a limited minority, in French-speaking Belgium, she is slightly stronger because there is more to French channels and channels is considered.”
the movement is not without risk, says Van Ranst. “The world health organization calls the move one of the ten largest health risks in the world.”
