Child dies of measles in Shikarpur, dozens infected in outbreak

SHIKARPUR: Outbreak of deadly measles leave a three-year child dead in a village adjacent to Shikarpur, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Overall three children left dead in the district in last 15 days while several dozens of children have been infected in the outbreak, according to sources.

Local people running pillar to post for measles vaccine, which is mostly unavailable in local hospitals due to shortage.

Recently in Garhi Hassan village in Jacobabad two children were died and scores hospitalized due to measles, a lethal disease for babies and young children, which generally peaks in summer.

According to doctors, the respiratory disease is considered to be a highly virulent infection. Nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children infected with measles are likely to die from respiratory and neurological complications.

Symptoms of the disease usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days.

Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than 40 °C (104 °F), cough, runny nose, and inflamed eyes. Small white spots may form inside the mouth two or three days after the start of symptoms.

A red, flat rash which usually starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body begins three to five days after the start of symptoms.

Common complications include diarrhea, middle ear infection and pneumonia.

Mothers who are immune to measles pass antibodies to their children while they are still in the womb, especially if the mother had acquired immunity through infection rather than vaccination.