Cameroon: 2023 Measles

[Shiloh]

Source: https://fundacionio.com/sarampion-en-camerun/

April 27, 2023
April 2023. Situation of the measles outbreak in Cameroon

Cameroon is experiencing an outbreak of measles, an endemic disease in the country. Between epidemiological weeks (EW) 1 to 13 of 2023, a total of 1,440 suspected cases and no deaths have been reported in the country.

Of the total reported cases, 223 have been confirmed with IgM+ results, 949 have had an epidemiological link, and 21 cases were clinically compatible with the measles case definition.

The Center region reported the most cases, with 597 (42.6%) of the total cases reported in 2023, followed by Littoral (381; 26.5%), Nord (146; 10.4%), Sud Ouest (92; 6.6%), Extreme Nord (82; 5.9%), Nord Ouest (59; 4.2%), Est (37; 2.6%), Ouest (22; 1.6%) , Adamaoua (12; 0.9%) and Sud (12; 0.9%). The national measles incidence rate is 5.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants with the highest burden in the Center region with 11.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The epidemiological situation began to deteriorate around EW 42 of 2022, reaching a peak in EW 6 of 2023.

Between EW 14/2022 and EW 13/2023, Cameroon reported 3,212 cases. During this period, 83 health districts in 10 regions reported active measles outbreaks. Of the total cases reported during this period, 12.6% have been in children from 0 to 8 months and 54.1% in children from 9 months to 5 years.

In the same period of time, 98.1% of the cases were not vaccinated against measles. Routine vaccination rates in 2022 are low among the health districts that have been affected. As of February 2023, 27.2% of health districts experiencing active outbreaks had routine first-dose vaccination coverage of less than 50%. Similarly, 79.2% of health districts experiencing active outbreaks had a routine second-dose vaccination rate of less than 50%. Optimal measles vaccination coverage should be maintained at around 95% or higher to provide adequate immunity.​

 

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2023-05/15/content_85316610.htm

Measles cases in Cameroon rise to 4677: ministry
Xinhua, May 15, 2023

YAOUNDE, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health said on Sunday that measles cases in the country have risen to 4677, with 18 deaths recorded.

"The epidemiological situation of measles is becoming worrisome. A situation explained by inadequate vaccine coverage for the past few years, rising numbers of unvaccinated children resulting in, in part, vaccine hesitancy caused by Covid-19," the ministry said in a statement.

To avoid the spread of the disease, a national vaccination campaign against measles and rubella will be organized from June 28 to July 2, according to the ministry..​

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.voanews.com/a/cameroon-vaccinates-for-measles-but-says-hesitancy-persists-/7171258.html


Cameroon Vaccinates for Measles, But Says Hesitancy Persists
July 07, 2023 11:06 AM
Moki Edwin Kindzeka

Yaounde, Cameroon —

Officials in Cameroon say vaccine hesitancy is preventing them from inoculating millions of children for childhood diseases in the first major campaign since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The country has an outbreak of measles and rubella that has killed 18 children and sickened more than 4,000 this year. The public health ministry said several thousand vaccinators have been dispatched to over 200 hospitals in Cameroon to inoculate more than 5.5 million children against measles and rubella.

The government says the vaccinators are also visiting homes, churches, mosques, markets and camps to make sure every child under 10 years old is inoculated.

Thirty-six-year-old carpenter Ongene Pierre says he stopped the vaccinators from inoculating his three children at Nyom, a neighborhood in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde.

He said he doesn't understand why the government wants all children under 10 to be vaccinated, adding that health workers should not be visiting public places to vaccinate children without the approval of parents.

Ongene said he has never received a vaccine and sees no reason for his children to be vaccinated.​..
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[Pathfinder]

WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Week 46: 13- 19 November 2023
Data as reported by: 17:00; 19 November 2023

...

Cameroon

Measles

6 034 Cases
31 Deaths
0.5% CFR

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Since the beginning of 2023, Cameroon has been dealing
with a measles outbreak that has impacted all 10 regions
of the country spanning across 62 health districts out of
the total 189. The outbreak remains active in 24 health
districts across seven regions.

During epidemiological week 44 (ending 5 November
2023), 13 new confirmed measles cases were reported
from one new health district, namely Dang district
indicating a sharp increase in cases compared to the
previous week. Of note, during epidemiological week 43
(ending 29 October 2023), four confirmed cases were
reported with no new affected health district.

As of 5 November 2023, a cumulative total of 6 034
confirmed measles cases including 31 related deaths
(CFR 0.5%) were reported in Cameroun from all 10 regions
of the country. Of the reported cases, 453 (7.5%) cases
were IgM-positive, 5 529 (91.6%) were epidemiologically
linked and 52 (0.9%), were clinically compatibles. The
Centre region had the highest cumulative attack rate of
50.9 per 100 000 followed by the Littoral region (33.7 per
100 000), South-West region (21.7 per 100 000), and
FarNorth region (17.3 per 100 000).

Each of the remaining six regions showed the cumulative
attack rate below 15.0 per 100 000 and the overall
attack rate was 23.2 per 100 000 inhabitants. Children
aged between 9 and 59 months were the most affected
accounting for 3 331 cases (55.2%) followed by children
under 9 months of age (n=682, 11.5%).

Over 70.0% (n=4 314) of the confirmed cases were
unvaccinated against measles with 51.8% (n=2 235) of
them being children aged between 9 to 59 months.
A total of 59 (93.6%) districts systematically investigated
at least one suspected case (target: ≥ 80.0% of
districts reporting measles cases should conduct case
investigation) and the investigation rate was 4.4 cases
per 100 000 inhabitants (target: ≥ 2.0 cases/100 000).

The percentage of adequate samples received at the
laboratory after collection was 96.4% (target ≥ 80%), with
specifically 86.8% (target ≥ 80%) of samples received
at the laboratory within five days period after collection.
The timeliness for laboratory results feedback within 4
days was 75.4% (target ≥ 80%).

As of September 2023, of the 24 health districts currently
in active outbreak, complete routine immunization against
measles have been performed in only four (16.7 %)
health districts, achieving at least 80.0% coverage for the
Measles-containing-vaccine second dose (MCV2), as per
WHO recommendations.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

Regular meetings at the Ministry of health with its
partners to assess measles outbreak situation in the
country are ongoing.

The Ministry of Health continues to support the affected
districts with regular follow up on local response
activities, including in-depth case investigations at all
the affected health districts.

A national follow-up vaccination campaign against
measles and rubella took place in Cameroon between
5-9 July 2023, targeting 5.5 million children aged 9
to 59 months. The campaign achieved a vaccination
coverage of 93.0%. In addition, local vaccination
activities against measles have been conducted in
some health districts.

Readiness activities in the non-affected districts are
ongoing including refresher trainings for healthcare
workers on measles case detection, management,
and reporting.

Regular updates of the measles databases and
dashboards for effective monitoring of the affected
health districts continues.

SITUATION INTERPRETATION

Cameroon is facing a protracted measles outbreak that
started since 2019. Suboptimal immunization coverage
is identified as the main driver for recurrent measles
outbreaks in the country. Furthermore, delays in case
investigations and low rate of local response activities
implementation in the affected health districts are also
impacting the overall capacity to control this outbreak.
National authorities, with support from partners, should
enhance and scale up vaccination activities, surveillance,
risk communication, and community engagement efforts
to control the outbreak.​

Week 46: 13 - 19 November 2023​