Measles was all but eradicated in the country after successful vaccination campaigns. But a major outbreak in October last year has spread across the country – mainly among vaccine skeptics who have refused to vaccinate their children.
So far this year, 5,138 cases have been reported, and two newborns have died. Both children's mothers were unvaccinated. Figures from October show that 88 percent of all those infected are unvaccinated.
The spread is also high in the United States. This year's outbreak is the largest since the disease was declared eradicated in 2000, and at least three people have died from measles in the United States this year.
Measles is highly contagious and was once a typical childhood disease. Symptoms include high fever, dry cough, irritated eyes and a rash. However, the disease can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis and, in rare cases, death.
