Measles epidemic situation is complicated
At the National Online Conference on Measles Prevention and Control held on the afternoon of March 15, Dr. Hoang Minh Duc - Director of the Department of Disease Prevention (Ministry of Health) shared information on the measles epidemic situation.
According to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the number of measles cases globally has increased significantly in the period of 2024-2025. Specifically, in 2023, WHO estimated that there would be more than 10.3 million measles cases in the world. In particular, in 2024, Europe and Central Asia recorded the highest number of measles cases in the past 25 years with 127,350 cases, double the previous year. Southeast Asia also saw a strong increase, with Thailand recording more than 7,507 cases in 2024.
Dr. Hoang Minh Duc - Director of the Department of Prevention and Control (Ministry of Health) shared information about the measles epidemic situation. Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Health
The main cause of the outbreak is the low vaccination rate, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, only 83% of children worldwide will be vaccinated with measles vaccine 1 and 74% of vaccine 2. Over the past 5 years, measles has occurred in 103 countries, largely due to low vaccination rates (under 80%). The WHO has warned of the risk of measles outbreaks in many regions around the world.
Dr. Hoang Minh Duc said that in Vietnam, the measles epidemic situation is still complicated despite the implementation of vaccination since 1985. Although the current vaccination rate is over 95%, previous periods with an vaccination rate of less than 90% have created a group of children who have not been vaccinated and have no immunity. The vaccine is effective, but the initial injection fee only reaches 85% of immunity, while the full injection fee reaches 90%. In addition, the vaccination rate in remote areas, ethnic minority areas is still low, creating conditions for outbreaks. In the period of 2020-2023, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the vaccination rate to decrease, increasing the risk of epidemics in the period of 2024-2025.
Thanks to the vaccination program, the distribution of measles cases by age has changed. Recently, the incidence rate in children under 9 months old has increased, accounting for more than 15%, at times exceeding 20% due to not being vaccinated and having insufficient immunity from mothers. At the same time, the gathering of un vaccinated children has led to outbreaks. In 2024, Vietnam recorded more than 45,758 cases of suspected measles rash fever, with 7,838 positive cases and 18 deaths. The number of suspected cases is mainly concentrated in the South (66.6%), the Central region (15%), the North (11%) and the Central Highlands (7.3%).
Since the beginning of 2025, there have been about 40,000 suspected measles cases recorded, with 5 deaths. The Southern region still has the highest incidence rate (57%), followed by the Central region (19.2%), the Northern region (15.1%) and the Central Highlands (8.7%).
Measles epidemic is still complicated but can be controlled
The Ministry of Health stated that in the context of changing seasons and erratic weather changes, the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, especially measles, is always present. Although the Ministry of Health has directed localities to implement measles prevention measures since the end of 2024, the disease situation continues to be high and is at risk of continuing to increase.
The measles epidemic is forecast to decrease in general, but it has not stopped, it is necessary to be very careful, and will continue to record many cases of suspected measles rash fever in provinces and cities across the country, especially in some mountainous provinces with many ethnic minorities, difficult access to medical services, and provinces with low measles vaccination rates.
However, on the basis of drastic and effective implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures such as containment, epidemic suppression and vaccination... the measles epidemic situation is under control, and will be gradually controlled to limit the spread and outbreak.
Measles is transmitted quickly through the respiratory tract, 90% of people without immunity will get sick when in close contact with the patient. A person with the disease can infect 12 to 18 others. To cut off transmission, community immunity needs to reach at least 95%. Measles can cause many dangerous complications such as middle ear inflammation, pneumonia, diarrhea, corneal ulcers, and encephalitis, which can lead to death, especially serious in young children and malnourished children.
