AMBALAVAO, Madagascar — Babies wail as a nurse tries to reassure mothers who have come to vaccinate their children against a measles outbreak that has killed more than 1,200 people in this island nation where many are desperately poor. Madagascar faces its largest measles outbreak in history, with cases soaring well beyond 115,000, but resistance to vaccinating children is not the driving force behind the rise. Measles cases are rising in the United States and elsewhere, in part because of misinformation that makes some parents balk at receiving a vaccine. In Madagascar, many parents want to protect their children but face immense challenges, including the lack of resources. This outbreak is complicated by the fact that nearly 50 per cent of children in Madagascar are malnourished.

Source: National Post April 14, 2019 18:00 UTC