Surge in measles cases 'not an outbreak,' says health minister

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Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has dismissed the recent surge in measles cases as not constituting an "outbreak," noting that the cases were concentrated in İstanbul.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex, Koca assured, "There is no outbreak situation; it is under control. We are implementing the necessary treatments for all identified cases, and our contact tracing efforts are being conducted rigorously."

Koca also highlighted the fact that measles cases have been on the rise in several countries due to migration. He pointed out, "We have regional cases, with İstanbul being the most affected area. 86% of the cases are concentrated in Istanbul. However, as I mentioned, the situation is under control, and we are closely monitoring it with our mobile health teams."

Emphasizing the importance of vaccination, Minister Koca urged citizens to promptly get their children vaccinated. "We highly recommend that citizens with children who have not received their vaccines or have incomplete vaccinations take this opportunity to get them vaccinated."

This statement from the minister comes as doctor organizations have been raising concerns about the increasing number of measles cases in the country. Last month, the İstanbul Medical Chamber issued a press release to draw attention to the "deteriorating situation" regarding the disease.

Turkey ranked third in the number of measles cases in Europe between April 2022 and March 2023, following Russia and Tajikistan, and out of the 457 cases reported, 343 occurred in January and February this year, the chamber had noted. However, obtaining the most up-to-date figures has been challenging due to the lack of transparency in data sharing by the Ministry of Health, it had asserted. (AS/VK)