Measles outbreak: misinformation and poverty fuel quadrupling of worldwide cases
False claims on social media mean nurses need to reassure parents about vaccinations
Cases of measles worldwide have quadrupled this year and poverty combined with misinformation spread on social media are two of the influencing factors.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the number of reported cases is four times higher in the first three months of this year compared to last, with Africa seeing the biggest rise, but other countries including India, Ukraine, Brazil, Pakistan and Yemen highlighted.
Percentage of parents reported refusing vaccination in the childhood immunisation programme
(Source: Public Health England 2018)
But there have been outbreaks in the US and European countries such as Italy and the UK – where there is concern about falling vaccination rates – nurses are being urged
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