Disease

Measles in Sudan

Aid agencies are struggling to contain a massive measles outbreak in Sudan. The Ministry of Health is leading a United Nations and international effort to vaccinate 8 million children under age five against the sometimes fatal disease, which so far has claimed 27 child lives.

Over the last four months, UNICEF reports there have been 2,200 confirmed cases and 4,000 suspected cases of measles in Sudan. It says that is four times higher than the average annual measles caseload over the last few years.

It says 54 percent of confirmed cases are in children under age five, but 28 percent are among people over age 15. It says 14 of 18 states in Sudan are affected by the outbreak.