MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. The Russian measles vaccine makes it possible to prevent that disease from circulating, Head of Russia’s Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being and Chief State Sanitary Physician Anna Popova told reporters on Tuesday.

Earlier reports said that most measles cases in Russia were because the infection was brought into the country from overseas. A timely inoculation makes it possible to nip 80% of measles infection cases in the bud.

"The Russian measles vaccine makes it possible for us to control the epidemiological situation despite the high measles incidence rates and the complex epidemiological situation near our country’s borders," Popova explained.

The World Health Organization describes measles as "a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease caused by the measles virus, a member of the genus Morbillivirus in the family paramyxoviridae." "It is spread by droplets or direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons. Measles is one of the most readily transmitted communicable diseases and probably the best known and most deadly of all childhood rash/fever illnesses," the organization said on its website.