PAHO re-verifies Brazil as a measles-free country – PAHO/WHO

With this achievement, the Americas regain their status as a region free of endemic measles.

Brasilia, November 12, 2024 (PAHO) – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, confirmed today that Brazil has been again verified as free of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). This means that the Americas have regained their status as a region free of endemic measles, a milestone first achieved in 2016.

«We congratulate Brazil on this important achievement,» said Dr. Barbosa. «This effort reflects Brazil’s strong commitment to public health and the protection of its population from vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles not only impacts health but also has devastating consequences for the economy and well-being of countries,» he emphasized.

The reverification was carried out by the Regional Commission for Monitoring and Reverification of the Elimination of Measles and Rubella, an independent group of experts convened by PAHO, which evaluated the evidence presented by Brazil.

A measles outbreak that began in 2018 led to a resumption of endemic transmission of the virus in Brazil in 2019, when more than 21,700 cases were reported. In response, the Ministry of Health, in coordination with state and municipal health professionals, implemented several measures. These included microplanning of high-quality vaccination activities within the routine program, decentralization of molecular testing to identify the virus, and training of rapid response teams. In June 2022, Brazil had recorded the last case of endemic measles.

To meet the reverification criteria, the country had to demonstrate that there had been no transmission of the measles virus for at least one year, in addition to strengthening its routine vaccination program, epidemiological surveillance and rapid response to imported cases. MMR vaccine coverage (measles, mumps and rubella) increased in Brazil from 81% in 2022 to 87% in 2023, and the country continues efforts to reach the 95% threshold recommended by PAHO to guarantee herd immunity and prevent outbreaks.

During this period, Brazil, like other countries in the region, reported imported cases of measles, but the rapid response of the health system prevented secondary cases from occurring.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children and can cause serious complications such as severe diarrhea, ear infections, blindness, pneumonia and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Some of these complications can be fatal. While measles continues to circulate in other regions of the world, the risk of reintroduction in the Americas persists, especially among children who are not fully vaccinated.

In 2024, as of November 8, more than 17,000 suspected cases of measles were reported in the Americas, with 389 confirmed cases in eight countries. The majority of these cases are imported or import-related, underscoring the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage to protect the most vulnerable populations.

As a result of Brazil’s achievement, the Americas regain their status as a region free of endemic measles, a recognition that was first achieved in 2016. In addition to Brazil, Venezuela was again verified as free of endemic measles in 2023, after a endemic transmission. was reestablished in the country in 2018, as a result of an outbreak that lasted more than 12 months. The other 33 PAHO member countries in the region have maintained their elimination status.

PAHO emphasizes the importance of continuing to strengthen vaccination programs, increasing coverage to adequate levels, strengthening surveillance systems, and improving the capacity of health systems to respond quickly to possible imported cases.

«To maintain measles elimination and prevent future outbreaks, it is crucial to continue to intensify vaccination efforts, improve surveillance, and improve the ability to respond rapidly to imported cases,» Dr. Barbosa concluded.

The Americas also eliminated rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 2015, an achievement that countries in the region have maintained since then.