World's worst measles epidemic kills 6,000 people in DR Congo

The World Health Organization announced that the death toll from the Democratic Republic of Congo's measles epidemic has surpassed 6,000, making it the world's worst outbreak of the highly contagious disease.

The United Nations agency said that a lack of funds and low routine vaccination coverage, as well as malnutrition, were inhibiting the response to save lives and control the outbreak in the country.

They also said that weak public health systems and problems accessing vulnerable populations in the country have also "aggravated" the measles crisis.

"Lack of funding remains a huge impediment to successfully curbing the outbreak,'' the WHO said in the statement.

The world's largest measles outbreak in #DRC has now killed 6000. Health authorities, @WHO @gavi @eu_echo and partners have vaccinated 18 million children in 2019, but lack of funds, low routine vaccination coverage and malnutrition hamper the response. https://t.co/tY3I6i0Z07 pic.twitter.com/b7zn0kGGlZ

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) January 7, 2020

Some 310,000 suspected cases of the measles have been reported in the central African country since the beginning of 2019.

About $28 million (€25 million) has been gathered to fight the disease, but the WHO said $40 million was needed for a six-month plan to vaccinate older children between the ages of 6 and 14.

"We are doing our utmost to bring this epidemic under control. Yet to be truly successful we must ensure that no child faces the unnecessary risk of death from a disease that is easily preventable by a vaccine," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.