ETIDIOH - NEW

{Summary} Situation at a glance Since late 2023, Morocco has been experiencing a widespread measles outbreak . Cases have been recorded across all regions of the country, particularly among children and people who are unvaccinated . In response, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MOHSP), in collaboration with relevant sectors, activated the National Center for Public Health Emergency Operations , launched urgent catch-up vaccination campaigns , and strengthened surveillance, case management, and risk communication and community engagement efforts. Measles is a highly transmissible viral disease that can lead to severe complications and death. While Morocco has made significant progress toward measles elimination, the disease remains endemic in the country. The overall risk is assessed as moderate at the national level and moderate at the regional level , particularly given the risk of cross-border transmission in areas with low vaccination coverage. (...) Source: World Healt...

{Excerpt} 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 travellers arriving from areas where the virus is actively circulating.  WHO is working closely with countries in the WHO Region...

Abstract Measles outbreaks continue to pose significant public health challenges globally despite the availability of effective vaccines. In this study, we evaluated wastewater-based surveillance for detection of measles virus during an ongoing outbreak in Texas . Weekly wastewater samples collected from two Texas cities between January 2 and March 17, 2025 were analyzed using multiple RT-PCR assays targeting the nucleoprotein and matrix genes of the measles virus. Viral RNA was detected in multiple days from both cities , with City A showing positives from January 13 and City B from January 6, both predating the first confirmed case in the state on January 23. Sequencing of PCR amplicons confirmed the specificity of detection and phylogenetic analysis using global and U.S. measles genome databases further validated that the viral RNA belonged to the currently circulating genotype D8 . Our findings demonstrate that wastewater surveillance can provide early evidence of measles virus cir...

Situation at a glance On 11 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) received a report from the International Health Regulation (2005) (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of the United States of America (United States) on the ongoing measles outbreak in the country , notified under IHR because it is an unusual event with potential significant public health impact , with the number of cases and deaths in 2025 exceeding the numbers in previous years. Additionally, cases linked to the outbreak in the State of Texas, United States, have been reported in Mexico . Measles is a highly contagious, airborne viral disease that can lead to severe complications and death. From 1 January to 20 March 2025, 17 States have reported a total of 378 cases of measles , including two deaths - the first deaths related to measles in the United States in a decade. The majority of cases are in children who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status, and the overall hospitalization rate is 17%. In ...

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting the first death from measles in the ongoing outbreak in the South Plains and Panhandle regions.  The school-aged child who was not vaccinated was hospitalized in Lubbock last week and tested positive for measles. As of Feb. 25, 124 cases of measles have been confirmed in the outbreak since late January. Most of the cases are in children . Eighteen people have been hospitalized over the course of the outbreak. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness , which can cause life-threatening illness to anyone who is not protected against the virus. During a measles outbreak, about one in five people who get sick will need hospital care and one in 20 will develop pneumonia. Rarely, measles can lead to swelling of the brain and death. It can also cause pregnancy complications, such as premature birth and babies with low birth weight. Measles can be transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread...