A report by the Provincial Health Division, broadcast by Radio Okapi, shows that practically all 34 health zones of the territory are affected by the disease, which reached a total of 43,648 patients.

The Minova health zone is the most affected, with 9,226 cases and 41 deaths, although Kamituga has the highest number of deaths (63).

The impact of measles is due to the scope of the vaccine, which, according to the health division’s communication officer, Dr. Claude Bahizire, does not protect 100 percent of children, some of whom need to be inoculated more than once.

Measles outbreaks regularly affect children in the DRC, where in 2022 alone there were more than 148,600 cases, 1,800 of whom died from the disease.

Measles is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus transmitted by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions.

Children under five years of age are the most vulnerable, while conflict areas or high-density environments with low immunization rates and weakened local health systems often experience epidemics.

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