A total of 325 cases of measles were reported in January, down 51 percent year-on-year, according to a report issued by China's Ministry of Health on Tuesday. The report showed that Hubei Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province had the most reported cases, with 144, 36 and 27, respectively, and one person had died from the illness in January. The ministry started to publish monthly reports on cases of measles from January 2012, in order to prevent and cure the disease. In a news briefing on Dec. 13, 2011, a spokesman with the ministry said that China had long ranked the first in the world in terms of the incidence rate of measles prior to 2010, prompting the country to enhance prevention measures. Health Minister Chen Zhu urged the ministry in January 2011 to eliminate measles over the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015). The measles virus can cause red skin rashes, coughing and fever, but patients generally recover after a few days of bed rest. In rare cases, measles can lead to complications such as pneumonia or even brain damage that can result in death, Xinhua reported.
