Measles Claims 3 More Children, Total Deaths Reach 1,204; 1,259 New Cases in a Day, Suspected Cases Pass 215,000
Three more children have died with measles symptoms in the country in the last 24 hours. With them, the total number of deaths from measles and measles symptoms since the outbreak began has reached 1,204. In the same period, 1,259 more children have been newly affected, showing no sign yet that the severity of the outbreak is easing.
The information was given in a press release sent from the Directorate General of Health Services control room on Tuesday (20 October). This daily updated count now provides the most reliable picture of the country's measles situation.
The report said that in the last 24 hours, measles was confirmed by testing in 42 children. In addition, 1,217 children received treatment with measles symptoms. That means the large majority of the newly affected are children treated on the basis of symptoms.
According to the health directorate, from 15 March to 20 October this year, 1,100 children died with measles symptoms in the country. In the same period, another 104 children died after measles was confirmed by testing. Together, the two groups make the total of 1,204 deaths.
The total number of suspected measles patients in the country has reached 215,768. That huge number itself shows how wide an area and how many families the outbreak has touched.
Among them, the number of laboratory-confirmed measles patients is 23,199. Although the gap between suspected and confirmed patients is large, the depth of the crisis is clearest in the pressure of hospital admissions.
A total of 191,761 people have been admitted to hospital. Among them, 184,168 have returned home after treatment with discharge papers, the release said.
Although the number returning home is large, more than a thousand new children being affected every day and deaths being reported every day mean the pressure on hospitals and families is still not easing.
The health directorate has maintained this continuous count from 15 March to 20 October. Each daily release publishes together all the indicators — deaths, new cases, test-confirmed cases, suspected patients, admissions and discharges.
In the latest 24-hour count, 3 deaths and 1,259 new cases are the two numbers to watch. Unless the pace of deaths and infections falls, it cannot be said that the outbreak is under control.
The health directorate's updates in the coming days will show whether this trend of infections and deaths has begun to fall, or whether the crisis is lengthening further even after the loss of 1,204 lives.
