Measles, one of the world’s most infectious diseases, is making a global comeback despite decades of progress in vaccination and public health awareness.
Cases have surged in countries such as the United States, where more than 900 infections and several deaths, including two children, have been reported this year.
Here’s what you need to know on this deadly disease:
In Australia, six out of eight states and territories have recorded cases, with Victoria seeing its highest numbers in a decade.
More than 70 people have contracted the virus since January—many of them children under the age of four.
On Monday’s episode of The Briefing, ANU virologist Professor David Tscharke joined us to discuss the concerning rise.
“The most important thing to know about measles, it is probably the most infectious disease we know,” Tscharke said.
“If 10 people walk into a room with an eleventh person who has measles, nine people will walk out with measles,” he said.
He said the symptoms of measles range from high fever, cough and rash to more serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
“Pneumonia is a reason for a little over half of the deaths,” he added.
Tscharke also acknowledged that some parents have genuine fears when it comes to vaccine hesitancy.
“Can I say the vaccine has zero risks? No… But do you want to live in a world where everyone gets measles and two to four in a thousand die, or one where one in a million has a bad reaction to a vaccine?”
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