Measles infects 55 in Azerbaijan in one month – vaccines for adults to arrive only in March

Azerbaijan recorded 55 cases of measles in December 2018, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health reports.

Most cases involved Bakuvians between the ages of 20 and 40 who were not vaccinated in childhood. There have been no deaths. Vaccinations for adults will only be brought to the country in March, at which point a free vaccination programme will begin. Children can already receive vaccinations.

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There has not been an outbreak of measles in Azerbaijan since 2013, says Deputy Director of the Republican Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology, Afaq Aliyeva.

The reason for the disease’s return has been identified as the recent outbreak in Georgia and other neighboring countries.

The first cases of infection were detected in Azerbaijan at the end of November.

According to Aliyeva, there are very few children among the sick.

Those who recover from measles should still get vaccinated several months after, as the vaccine can also protect against rubella and mumps.

The measles epidemic in Georgia has been going on since last year. In 2018, 1,400 cases were detected, and in the first weeks of January, another 312.

Children can be vaccinated free of charge against eleven diseases, including measles, in Azerbaijani states clinics.

However, many parents are refusing to vaccinate their children, believing the vaccines themselves are harmful and can make one fall ill.