Madagascar: Pope meets survivors
of measles epidemic
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| Pope Francis meets survivors of a measles epidemic in Antananarivo.(Vatican Media) |
2019 saw the largest measles outbreak ever in Madagascar
with more than 1,500 deaths. On the first full day of his Apostolic Visit to
the nation, Pope Francis meets a family that survived the epidemic.
By Vatican News
Pope Francis on Saturday met with members of a Malagasy
family that contracted measles during the country’s worst outbreak of the
epidemic.
The meeting took place after the recitation of the Midday
Prayer and the blessing of the altar in the Cathedral of Morondava.
Madagascar’s worst measles outbreak ever
According to UNICEF, Madagascar has reported more than
118,000 cases of measles in first six months of the year, and there have been
1,688 reported deaths.
The outbreak proved so deadly because so many in the island
nation are desperately poor and there is poor vaccine coverage and lack
of access to health resources.
Just 58 % of people on Madagascar's main island have been
vaccinated against measles, a major factor in the outbreak's spread. With
measles one of the most infectious diseases, immunization rates need to be 90
to 95 % or higher to prevent outbreaks.
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