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Monday, 28 April 2025
DISEASE OUTBREAK NEWS [https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON565]
Measles – Region of the Americas [https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON565]
28 April 2025
Situation at a glance
As of 18 April 2025, a total of 2318 measles cases, including three deaths, have been confirmed in six countries in the WHO Region of the Americas, an 11-fold increase compared to the same period in 2024. The majority of cases have occurred among people between 1 to 29 years, who are either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status. Additionally, most cases are imported or linked to importation. Measles is a highly contagious, airborne viral disease that can lead to severe complications and death. Although it is preventable with two doses of the vaccine, over 22 million children worldwide did not receive their first dose of the vaccine in 2023. This has contributed to a global rise in measles cases in 2024, which heightens the risk of imported infections, particularly from unvaccinated travelers arriving from areas where the virus is actively circulating. WHO is working closely with countries in the WHO Region of the Americas to prevent the spread and reintroduction of measles. The regional risk is currently assessed as high, while the global risk remains moderate.
Read the full DON [https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON565]
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