**Measles Outbreak Claims 17 Young Lives in Sindh Over Two Months**
A devastating measles outbreak in Sindh has resulted in the deaths of 17 children in the past two months, according to a statement from the provincial health department.
Khairpur district has been hit the hardest, with 10 children succumbing to the disease. Karachi’s East district has reported five deaths, while Sukkur and Jacobabad districts have each reported one fatality.
From January 1st to March 8th of this year, over 1,100 cases of measles have been reported across Sindh. Karachi alone has seen 550 children infected during this period.
Doctors attribute the alarming number of deaths to low vaccination rates and a lack of awareness about the disease, which is preventable through vaccination.
Hospitals are Report four to six measles par day, and state “children under five years contract measles and some children with pneumonia caused by measles have been admitted at hospitals.”
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that typically manifests 10-12 days after exposure. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, and the appearance of small white spots inside the mouth. A characteristic red, flat rash develops on the face and spreads to the rest of the body within three to five days of the onset of symptoms.
The disease can lead to serious complications, including diarrhea, middle ear infections, and pneumonia.