Some 59 children have died from a combination of measles and malnutrition in the remote Asmat region, Papua province, Indonesia, according to a Daily Sabah report.
The Associated Press reports that Indonesian health authorities are struggling to battle the measles outbreak due to a lack of access to remote areas, insufficient personnel and the high mobility of villagers hampered treatment and vaccination efforts.
The measles outbreak, which began in Sep 2017, has affected 568 people and hospitalized 175.
Papua and neighboring West Papua are the poorest provinces in Indonesia.
Travel health: Measles in Indonesia prompts CDC notice
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications. The measles virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
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The initial symptoms of measles develop around 10 days after you’re infected.
These can include:
- cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, and a cough
- sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light
- a high temperature (fever), which may reach around 40C (104F)
- small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks
A few days later, a red-brown blotchy rash will appear. This usually starts on the head or upper neck, before spreading outwards to the rest of the body.
Measles can be unpleasant, but will usually pass in about 7 to 10 days without causing any further problems.
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Once you’ve had measles, your body builds up resistance (immunity) to the virus and it’s highly unlikely you’ll get it again.
However, measles can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications in some people. These include infections of the lungs (pneumonia) and brain (encephalitis).
Measles deaths drop below 100,000 globally for the first time: WHO
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