Measles incidence declines in Kyrgyzstan

The incidence of measles has declined in Kyrgyzstan. Director of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis Gulbara Ishenapysova told 24.kg news agency.
According to her, 2,262 cases were registered in the country in the first half of the year.
"An increase in the incidence was registered in Bishkek, Jalal-Abad and Osh regions in the first quarter. But over the past three weeks, new cases have not been registered," said Gulbara Ishenapysova.
She added that the Health Ministry will continue to work according to the measles operation plan.
"We inform the population about the importance of vaccination, coverage has increased to 95 percent. Parents began to understand the importance of immunization," the center director said.
According to Gulbara Ishenapysova, last November, the Kyrgyz Republic requested from Rospotrebsoyuz more than 100,000 doses of free rubella-measles vaccine for clean-up immunization of the population at the age from 6 months to 50 years old who have been in contact with infected person.
"Our request was approved in July, and the vaccine should be sent to our republic in August," she told.
In 2018, at least 1,005 cases of the disease have been registered in the country. About 48 percent are not vaccinated children at the age up to 12 months old. Doctors claim that timely vaccination is the only way of protection from the disease.