BISHKEK, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan has launched a campaign to vaccinate children aged nine months to six years in response to a measles outbreak, the country's Ministry of Health said on Monday.
The number of measles cases in the country has reached 2,018, most of whom are children, said Zinat Beishebaeva, head of the Department of Public Health, the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan.
According to Beishebaeva, vaccines for measles and rubella will be inclusively carried out among children aged nine months to six years. Only those children who received vaccination less than 28 days before the start of the campaign are excluded from the target group.
Vaccination can be obtained free of charge in all medical institutions and at temporary vaccination points in educational institutions.
"The measles and rubella supplemental immunization campaign will prevent the spread of the virus," said Beishebaeva.
The campaign lasts until Sept. 29. ■
