MONROVIA, May 7 (LINA)-–The head of the Incidence Management System, Tolbert Nyenswah, is urging Liberians to fight measles just as they did the deadly Ebola virus.

 
He said news of measles outbreaks in 10 of the 15 counties is alarming and that it poses threat to the health of the younger population and as such must be treated with “great urgency” by every Liberian.
 
Speaking at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing , Nyenswah urged Liberians to take advantage of the forthcoming expanded immunization campaign of the Ministry of Health intended to vaccinate children from ages zero to 59 months against measles, polio and other diseases.
 
He said just like the Ebola virus, measles is also a public health matter and requires concerted efforts by all Liberians to help prevent the disease from further spreading.
 
According to Nyenswah, the vaccination campaign will be launched on May 8 and is targeting about 98 percent of children, adding, “If we fall below 50 percent it means that we are putting the lives of the children of Liberia at risk.”
 
Nyenswah said the vaccine should not be misunderstood for the just-ended Ebola trial vaccine process as has been speculated by some people.
 
Measles is an infectious illness caused by a virus which lives in the mucus of the nose and throats of people with the infection. It spreads through physical contact with an infected person through direct coughing and sneezing and can infect other children very rapidly.
 
Symptoms include high temperature, sore throat, sore eyes, dry cough, skin rashes and red eyes infection.
LINA WG/TSS/PTK