BRAZZAVILLE, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 132 people have lost their lives due to contracting measles out of 6,259 cases recorded as of April 24 throughout the Republic of the Congo, Congolese Health Minister Gilbert Mokoki said Thursday.

       According to the minister, the region of Pointe-Noire, the economic capital of the country, is the epicenter of the epidemic with 5,488 cases reported including 112 deaths since the beginning of 2022.

       "Most of these deaths occurred among people admitted late to care centers," the Congolese health minister said.

       The Health Ministry has implemented actions to raise awareness among the population of the presumptive signs of measles and early use of the health service, said the minister.

       The Congolese government has taken measures to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and routine vaccination.

       "The government is taking all necessary measures to respond to these health emergencies and urges the population to use the nearest health services in the face of any suspected case of measles," Mokoki said.

       Last April, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that several African countries could experience an outbreak of measles amid stalled vaccination against the viral disease due to disruptions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.