Measles outbreak in Madagascar kills over 900

<p>By Alaattin Dogru</p> <p>DAKAR, Senegal (AA) – Over 900 people have died due to a measles outbreak in Madagascar, the UN children's agency UNICEF said in a statement.</p> <p>According to the statement issued on Friday, 76,871 people were infected by measles from Sep. 3 to Feb. 21. Among the infected people, 928 have died, a majority of whom were children.</p> <p>“Over 2 million children were immunized in 25 districts. In February, 1.4 million children were vaccinated, with another 3.9 million more to follow in March,” the statement said. </p> <p>The fact that measles vaccination is not mandatory in Madagascar makes it difficult to reach a large number of children.</p> <p>Fever, malaise, cough, nasal discharge, redness of the eyes, diarrhea, and rashes are symptoms of measles. The disease can cause ear infection and brain damage, as well as death.</p>