ADDIS ABABA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has vaccinated more than 11 million children as part of a nationwide campaign to contain the spread of an ongoing measles outbreak, local media reported.
The immunization campaign, which targets 17.5 million children aged between nine months and five years, is being rolled out across all regions of the East African country, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate quoted Ministry of Health officials as saying on Thursday.
The immunization drive is not only aimed at protecting children from measles, but also at identifying those at risk due to malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency, and gaps in routine vaccination, the report said.
Measles, a highly contagious viral illness spread through respiratory droplets and direct contact, remains endemic in Ethiopia, with new cases reported annually, the World Health Organization said.
The disease primarily affects children and can cause serious complications such as fever, dry cough, runny nose, and sore throat. It is preventable through timely immunization, the organization added.
