The incidence of measles in Astana is on the rise, with a majority of the affected individuals being unvaccinated children, Vlast.kz reports. Information obtained from the city administration reveals a significant strain on the children's hospital for infectious diseases, with a reported 111% overcapacity.
City Children's hospital No. 3, initially equipped with 300 beds, has expanded its capacity to 557 beds due to the surge in seasonal infectious diseases, particularly measles. Additionally, the number of resuscitation beds has been increased from 20 to 40, according to the official report.
Disturbingly, 96% of those admitted to the hospital are unvaccinated children, with six patients in intensive care, four in serious condition, and two in critical condition. The demographic most affected by the disease comprises children under 14 years old, including infants as young as 5-6 months, a departure from the previous trend where children primarily contracted measles after the age of one.
City health department data indicates that only 42% of the population is covered by anti-measles vaccination sites. Among the elderly, 63 patients have been hospitalized, with their condition categorized as moderate. Notably, 70% of the hospitalized patients fall within the age range of one to seven years old.
This surge in measles cases follows a trend observed in Almaty, where 90.3% of infectious disease hospitals were reported to be filled due to a measles epidemic, predominantly affecting the unvaccinated population. The current situation underscores the critical need for vaccination efforts to curb the spread of measles and protect vulnerable populations.
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