Image by WHO
Romania is fighting one of the worst outbreak of measles in decades. 8,000 have been infected and 32 people are confirmed dead, many of the children. Medical personel foresaw the problem coming as the vaccination rate has declined in the Eastern European country, especially among the poor.
“We were expecting it to happen because the vaccination rate decreased so much in recent years. It was hardly a surprise; we knew it was coming,” said a Romanian infectious disease physican, reported the Financial Times.
Romania has the highest rate of measles by far in Europe, 85% of deaths. A war on vaccinations has been brewing for some time now in many countries, including the United States, with many parents concerned the procedures are connected to a rise in autism.
The government is soon to pass a law that will require Romanian parents to vaccinate their children before enrolling them in school.
