The Ukrainian Health Ministry intends to prepare documents by the end of the week for convening an ad hoc commission to consider the need to declare a measles epidemic in Ukraine.
"There are many indicators signaling the epidemic – not only the number of ill people or deaths, but there are others. Now, to declare an epidemic, we'll have to convene an ad hoc commission, which will address this. We are collecting all legal acts by the end of the week so that we can convene this commission and consider whether there is an epidemic," Acting Health Minister Ulana Suprun said after a government meeting on Wednesday, an UNIAN correspondent reported.
According to her, the ministry has more authority to boost vaccine purchases in case of the epidemic.
The Health Ministry earlier reported that five people had already died of measles in Ukraine in 2019. Sixteen people died of measles in 2018.
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus.