BREAKING Measles News! Kazakhstan Facing A Measles Crisis With Hospitals In Almaty And Pavlodar Reaching Almost 91 Percent Occupancies!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 22, 2023 1 year, 1 month, 1 day, 17 hours, 18 minutes ago
Measles News: In a startling development, Kazakhstan is grappling with a severe measles crisis, as hospitals in the cities of Almaty and Pavlodar are nearing maximum capacity, reaching an alarming 91 percent occupancy. The contagious outbreak has prompted concerns within the public health sector, with officials highlighting the urgent need for intervention and vaccination campaigns to curb the escalating situation.
https://akipress.com/news:744532:Infectious_diseases_hospitals_90_3__full_in_Almaty_due_to_measles_outbreak/
https://en.inform.kz/news/measles-cases-surging-in-pavlodar-region-f9a6db/
Almaty Struggles with Soaring Measles Cases
According to a report from the city's public health department, infectious diseases hospitals in Almaty are currently operating at 90.3% capacity due to the surge in measles cases. The children's city clinical infectious diseases hospital, equipped with 280 beds and 12 intensive care unit beds, is now grappling with an overwhelming number of patients. Out of the seven departments designated for measles treatment, one has been deployed in the Sayaly branch, three in the hospital on Baizakov Street, and another three in the Aport branch, with an additional 40 beds held in reserve.
Faced with the possibility of bed shortages, the public health department has contingency plans in place, indicating the potential deployment of two additional departments with 21 and 84 beds in two branches. The city's clinical infectious diseases hospital named after Zhekenov, with 120 beds, is also significantly strained, as 108 beds are currently occupied. The department emphasizes an unstable epidemiological situation, revealing that 2,509 cases of measles have been registered in Almaty since March, with a staggering 79.4% affecting children under the age of 14. Worryingly, 94.2% of these children were not vaccinated, citing reasons such as parental refusal (72.02%), medical contraindications (13.8%), and age-related issues (13.7%).
Local
Measles News coverages claim that in some parts of Kazakhstan, almost 400 children a day are getting hospitalized!
https://akipress.com/news:743390:400_children_with_measles_admitted_to_hospitals_in_Kazakhstan_every_day/
Kazakhstan Faces Daily Influx of Measles Cases
The crisis extends beyond Almaty, with the Pavlodar region witnessing a sharp increase in measles cases. A staggering 56 new cases were recorded in less than two weeks, with Ekibastuz bearing the brunt of the outbreak, according to the Kazinform Agency. The region has reported 136 confirmed cases since the beginning of the year, a stark contrast to the mere five cases reported in the entirety of 2022.
The surge is primarily attributed to parental refusals to vaccinate t
heir children against measles, a concerning trend that has contributed to the current situation. The increase in measles cases during November is particularly alarming, with 80 cases recorded two weeks ago and a subsequent 1.7-fold rise, totaling 130 new cases.
Over the last 13 days, the Pavlodar region has witnessed 82 suspected cases of measles, with a significant 80% of them affecting children under the age of 14. The gravity of the situation is further emphasized by two pregnant women contracting the virus. Shockingly, out of the 136 confirmed cases, only 10 individuals had received measles vaccinations. The outbreak has spread to schools and kindergartens, affecting eight schools and 13 kindergartens, leading to the hospitalization of 30 children.
National Measles Tally Surpasses 13,000 Cases
As the measles crisis intensifies, the overall situation in Kazakhstan is dire. Since the beginning of the year, the country has confirmed over 13,000 cases of measles, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive vaccination campaigns and public health interventions. The alarming surge in cases in Almaty and Pavlodar serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vaccination and the potential consequences of vaccine hesitancy. Authorities are now faced with the monumental task of not only treating the current patients but also implementing measures to prevent further outbreaks and protect the population, especially vulnerable children, from the debilitating effects of measles.
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