Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family of the genus Morbillivirus. It is one of the leading causes of death among children globally especially in developing countries, regardless of effective and safe vaccine that have been made available (World Health Organization, 2015). In 2014, WHO recorded that it led to the death of about 114,900 people worldwide of which majority was children under five, although this have decreased since the invention of vaccine. Thus, the number of global measles cases reported to the United Nation Children’s fund (UNICEF) and to the WHO between 2000 and 2008 reduced by 67%. At the same time, the measles global death reduced by 78% (Cairns et al., 2011). Since 2008, outbreak has been occurring globally but the most reported cases of measles have persistently been from Africa (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011).
Symptoms includes: High fever that usually last for 4 to 7 days is typically the first sign of measles. Other sign and symptoms include; cough, watery nose, watery and red eye etc. Rashes erupt after several days especially on the upper neck and face. It then spreads to other parts of the body which last for about 5 or 6 days before it fade (WHO, 2015).
Transmission, prevention and control….. see https://publichealthissues.com.ng/articles/