Measles: Brazil confirms 34 cases this year and the Ministry of Health issues a warning

Measles: Brazil confirms 34 cases this year and the Ministry of Health issues a warning


The country is experiencing a decline in MMR vaccination, which increases vulnerability to the circulation of the virus

THE Ministry of Health (MS) issued a national alert to states and municipalities this Friday, the 10th, about the increase in cases of measles in the country. From the beginning of January to today, Brazil has recorded 34 cases of the disease. The States of Tocantins, Maranhao AND Mato Grosso reached an epidemic situation. The ministry asks to intensify vaccination and surveillance in relation to possible infections.

According to pediatrician Isabella Ballalai, director of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm), the scenario is motivated by heterogeneous vaccination coverage. “You can have 95% (vaccination coverage) in one place, but 10% in another, for example. So, in these municipalities where coverage is low, cases continue to appear until control is lost,” he explains.

The basic vaccination program includes two doses. The first applies to 12 months of age and the second to 15 months. The triple viral vaccine is generally used, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The vaccine is available free of charge on the public network. Isabella emphasizes that the effectiveness is 98% and vaccination is the only way to prevent the disease.

In 2024, Brazil had MMR vaccination coverage of 95.7% for the first dose and 80.3% for the second dose. Preliminary data for 2025 indicates coverage of 91.2% and 74.6% respectively. According to Member States, these rates increase vulnerability to the circulation of the measles virus, as they are below the recommended target of 95%.

Of the 34 cases registered in Brazil, nine are imported from people returning from abroad already infected. Another 22 are linked to these cases. The other three have genomic sequencing compatible with the variants circulating in other countries.

According to Isabella, many countries are experiencing a measles epidemic, like the United Statesa frequent destination for Brazilians. Transmission begins precisely when these people travel, contract the disease and return to Brazil. These are the cases called imported. “The problem is when infections occur in people who have not travelled. This means that the virus is already circulating in the community,” he highlights.

Measles around the world

According to data from World Health Organization (WHO)More than 360 thousand suspected cases of the disease have been reported in 173 countries, of which approximately 164 thousand have been confirmed. Most cases came from the Eastern Mediterranean region, with 34% of cases, followed by Africa, with 23%, and Europe, with 18%.

Even in the Americas the scenario attracts attention. In ten countries, 11,691 cases of measles and 25 deaths have been confirmed. Canada leads the number of infections, with just over 5,000 cases, followed by Mexico, with 4,703, and the United States, with 1,514.

In March of this year, the United States recorded its first death in ten years from the disease. The situation occurred early in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as Secretary of Health and Human Services, a position equivalent to that of Secretary of Health in Brazil. Kennedy Jr. has previously claimed that the MMR vaccine is linked to autism, a claim that has been studied and refuted, meaning it has no scientific basis.

In South America, Bolivia faces an active epidemic with 320 confirmed cases, while Paraguay has recorded 50 cases, Peru 4 and Argentina 35.

WHO data shows that adolescents and young adults have the highest absolute number of cases. In the Americas, 22% of confirmed cases occurred among people aged 10 to 19, and 19% occurred among people aged 20 to 29. However, if we consider the incidence rate proportional to the population, children under one year are the most vulnerable, with 6.6 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants.

What is measles?

Measles is a disease caused by such a virus Morbillivirusrespiratory transmission, as well as covid-19, influenza and other viral infections. The disease causes worrying and potentially fatal health conditions, especially for children under 2 years of age.

“Until the 1990s, measles was one of the main causes of infant mortality in Brazil,” Isabella points out.

The initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the flu: high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and general malaise. After a few days, red spots appear on the body, the main sign of the disease. When they appear, the patient may have been transmitting the disease for six days; transmission continues for up to four days after these signs appear.

It is important to underline that the measles virus is considered one of the most contagious: an individual suffering from the disease can infect 16 other non-immunised people.

Source: Terra

You may also like