Brazil was recertified as a measles-free country this Tuesday (12) by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
The certificate will be delivered to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade.
The country had received the status in 2016, but the reintroduction of the virus in 2018 caused by the drop in vaccination coverage, compromised disease control.
In 2024, the Ministry of Health reinforced the Action Plan to recheck measles and eliminate rubella, with coordinated actions across the country.
Financing for these measures exceeded R$724 million with investments in surveillance, training and acquisition of immunobiologicals.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children and can cause serious complications, such as lung infections, encephalitis and, in severe cases, death.
The virus continues to circulate in other regions of the world, which maintains the risk of reintroduction of the disease in the Americas, especially among unvaccinated people.
General symptoms may include:
- Fever;
- Cough;
- Nasal discharge;
- Watery eyes;
- Red spot rash.
Measles-free country recertification process
Brazil’s last certification as a measles-free country occurred in 2016, but the return of the disease in 2018 it made the country endemic again.
Between 2018 and 2022, 39,779 cases of measles were confirmed in Brazil.
With the launch of the National Vaccination Movement and the resumption of the National Immunization Program (PNI) in 2023, the country intensified campaigns to eliminate the disease.
In November 2023, the PAHO/WHO Regional Commission classified Brazil as “pending re-verification”.
MMR vaccine
The Ministry of Health highlights the importance of the triple viral vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
In 2023, first dose vaccination coverage increased to 88.4%, and in 2024 it reached 92.3%.
The vaccine is recommended in two doses for people aged 12 months to 29 years and in a single dose for adults aged 30 to 59 years.
With Brazil’s recertification, the The Americas regain their status as a region free of endemic measles.
This content was originally published in Measles-free Brazil: country receives recertification after five years on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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