Measles Cases Rise Worldwide – by Aaron Neuman

As more cases of measles crop up in Lakewood due to unvaccinated individuals, the United Nations released a report showing that cases of measles rose 30% worldwide last year. The World Health Organization, a UN body, slammed the “anti-vax” movement for being a primary cause in the resurgence of the illness. Martin Friede, the WHO’s director of immunization said parents have been convinced not to vaccinate their children by “supposed experts making accusations against the vaccine without any evidence”.

Friede said that measles outbreaks have been occurring more often even in countries where vaccination levels are generally high. He said this suggests that vaccination levels are actually regressing, a phenomenon which could potentially lead to a worldwide measles epidemic.

A WHO immunization expert expressed frustration over the return of the measles, noting that the vaccine has been proven safe in dozens of studies. “We have a safe and effective vaccine… this is not rocket science. We know what to do”, said Ann Lindstrand of the World Health Organization.

Experts at the WHO say that significant progress has been made against the measles and should not be ignored. Although 173,000 cases of measles were reported last year, it is still a massive drop for the 850,000 cases reported in 2000.

Many parents who choose not to vaccinate their children rely on so-called “herd immunization” to protect their child. However, scientists generally agree that for herd immunity to be effective, roughly 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated. Global vaccination levels have been stalled at around 85% for several years now.

Studies have proven that the measles vaccine is extremely safe and the risk of getting the measles if they come in contact with a carrier is extremely low. Even if the measles beats the odds and the child is stricken with measles, the child will have some level of immunity, allowing their body to fight the illness far more effectively than an unvaccinated child.

The cost of getting a child vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is negligible and often free of charge.

Measles can cause severe diarrhea, pneumonia, hearing loss, and even mental disorders in youngsters. It is estimated that 110,000 people, mostly children, died from the measles last year.

The World Health Organization believes that measles cases will be higher again in next year’s report.

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11 COMMENTS

    • And it has already been commented on this site that someone called the Dept. of Health to asks about it, and said cannot say, as may harm vaccine program. Catch 22…
      Real measles gives immunity for life and detoxifies. ACCORDING TO dR. MERCOLA, the issues of complications from measles are mainly in countries which are malnourished, not here.

  1. Even if he was, the point is the same. To protect those who cannot get immunity through vaccination (as this person apparently did) 95% of the population needs to be vaccinated. Otherwise it gets passed along very quickly and those who would love to choose immunity through vaccinations but cannot (due to immunosuppressive issues, age, etc.) run a very big risk of being exposed. I cannot understand a parent who would rather take the risk of their child getting the measles and the consequences of that vs the alleged consequences of the actual vaccination, but even if there was a very small argument in that favor, how can you justify the potential consequences to thousands of others who don’t even have the chance to make that decision?

  2. Why are you huking chainik with measles for so long switch to fly already . Much much more people die from flu ! Send out all people who didn’t get flu shot now . Immune compromised can’t get the flu !
    People stop fear monging , Daven and be nice to others it’s your biggest protection !!
    Good Shabbos

  3. Please check if there a typo in the article. It states that last year there were 110,000 deaths from measles worldwide. That would translate into: 90% of all people who got measles worldwide last year died! Is that possible?
    Do we know if any of the 18 measles cases in Lakewood resulted in hospitalization? Based on previous statistics, the projection was that 1 out of 4 measles would result in hospitalization. Did that indeed happen?
    Can we get some more information?

    • Thank you for pointing this out. It is not a typo, and no, the death rate from measles isn’t even close to 90%. The 173,000 cases of measles are REPORTED cases. The actual amount of people that came down with measles is estimated to be around 8.6 million, an obviously much higher number. I should have been clearer about this when writing the piece.

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