Mumbai: Measles vaccination goes slow with only 5 per cent kids getting dose in 3 days

BMC has started the immunisation drive at health posts and health centres in wards where measles outbreaks are reported

Only 5 per cent of the children eligible for the outbreak response immunisation (ORI) dose of measles and rubella vaccine have received it over the past three days. In view of the measles outbreak in the city, the BMC started the process of administering the ORI dose on Thursday following the central government's instructions. Civic officials said that the vaccination process will gather steam in the coming days.

As per BMC's health department, 1,88,013 children aged 9 months to 5 years were found eligible for the dose while the number stood at 3,569 for children aged between 6 and 9 months.

Also read: Mumbai: Thick smog envelops city, as air quality ‘very poor'

Data showed that on Thursday, 1,142 kids in the 9 months to 5 years age group and 20 kids aged 6-9 months got the dose. On Friday, the number grew significantly to 3,208 among kids aged 9 months to 5 years and 109 in the 6-9 months age group. On Saturday, the figures rose to 3,064 and 55 for the two age groups, respectively. With this, 7,414 children in the 9 months to 5 years group and 184 kids aged between 6 and 9 months were given the ORI dose.

Meanwhile, the number of measles cases in the city rose to 386.