Measles Research Paper

Measles is a very contagious virus that thrives in the mucus found in the throat and nose. Measles is transmitted through the coughing and sneezing of an infected person. This virus can live up to two hours in the air where the infected person coughed or sneezed. Measles is so infectious that 90% of nonimmune people who are around an infected person will become sick. The rash that appears when a person is infected with measles signals when the virus can be spread. A person can easily spread the virus four days before the rash appears and four days after the rash appears. The beginning symptoms of the measles virus includes: high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. The rash typically forms three to five days after these symptoms,

The life expectancy at birth of the total population is 75 years old (Central Intelligence Agency). With China having a significant amount of the measles cases in the Western Pacific region, this country suffers great morbidity from the virus (Chao Ma et al, 340). Between 1970 and 1979, the average incidence of measles recorded in China was 355.3 per 100,000. Between 1980 and 1989, the average incidence of measles was 52.9 per 100,000. Between 1990 and 1999, the average incidence of measles was 7.6 per 100,000 (Chao Ma et al, 340). Since 2000, the incidence has stayed below 10 (Chao Ma et al, 340). In 2006, a national action plan was created to eliminate measles in China. This plan was to go through 2012 and use strategies such as immunization and measles surveillance (Chao Ma et al, 340). In September 2010, organized nationwide immunizations took place across China. These immunizations reached a coverage of 97.52% (Chao Ma et al, 341). Great success was seen through this action plan; however, in 2013 there was a reappearance of measles among young children who were unvaccinated (Chao Ma et al, 345). This shows how important it is for China to have routine vaccine programs to make sure no child has been