Médecins Sans Frontières: Measles cases in Afghanistan have increased dramatically

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports a significant increase in measles cases in Helmand, Herat and Kunduz provinces.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released a newsletter yesterday announcing an increase in measles cases in Helmand, Herat and Kunduz provinces, saying that the Helmand District Hospital had admitted more than 150 children in a week with measles from early December last year to late February this year.

Emphasizing that measles can lead to fatal disorders for children, the organization added that 40 percent of children admitted to Helmand District Hospital have severe disorders that are admitted for treatment.

According to the organization, measles is incurable and the best way to prevent children from getting the disease is to get vaccinated.

Earlier, the Taliban Ministry of Public Health announced that more than 15,000 measles cases had been reported in 33 provinces this year.

Javed Hajir, a spokesman for the ministry, said that during the current year, 15,904 cases of measles among children were registered in 33 provinces of the country and 124 children died as a result of the disease.