Brazil regains measles-free status after five years
Kfouri emphasizes that, for a nation to truly be considered measles-free, it is necessary to achieve high vaccination rates, but also to ensure that no case is going unnoticed. This requires the fulfillment of specific goals related to epidemiological surveillance, including the recognition and investigation of suspected cases, as well as their possible contacts, and monitoring in border areas.
“In the last visit of the verification commission to Brazil, several recommendations were made and they were all met. We achieved recertification given the new level the country is at, not only in terms of vaccination coverage, but also surveillance of suspected cases”, he states .
To get an idea of the importance of this advance, later this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning about the increase in measles cases around the world. There were more than 300 thousand cases of measles reported throughout 2023, a 79% increase compared to the previous year.
“We have the virus uncontrolled on several other continents, so it is very common to have measles entering the country, hence the importance of doing our ‘homework'”, comments Kfouri.
Measles in Brazil
Measles is a serious infectious disease caused by a virus, with the potential to lead to death in more severe cases. Transmission occurs quickly and directly, mainly through droplets released by the patient when coughing, talking, sneezing or simply breathing close to other people. The most effective form of prevention is vaccination, which protects against infection and stops the spread of the virus.
