Another child dies of measles in Jacobabad, death toll surges to 50

JACOBABAD: Another child succumbed to the deadly disease of measles in Sindh district of Jacobabad, ARY News reported on Monday.

The latest death was reported in Thul, where a three-year-old boy died of measles, confirmed the sources within the hospital.

The death toll of children by measles has reached 50 in Jacobabad in the last one-and-half month with the fresh death of a three-year-old, sources added.

Sindh health department is seen to be lacking in action over the increasing number of infections and deaths in the area.

“Measles is a dangerous and deadly disease for children. Vaccination is the only safety for children against it,” health officials said.

According to experts, 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 upto 7–10 days.

Initial symptoms typically include fever, often above 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 that 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, which are major cause of deaths of children with measles.

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.