Measles outbreak shows low vaccination, and Brazil tries to contain advance

Brazil recorded 23 imported cases of measles in 2025. The number is different from PAHO counting because they are the latest Ministry of Health. They occurred in the Federal District (1), Rio de Janeiro (2), São Paulo (1), Rio Grande do Sul (1) and Tocantins (18). The affected have an international travel history or not vaccinated against the disease.

Cities of Tocantins, Maranhão and border states with Bolivia are a focus of attention. The neighboring country has accounted for 229 cases and is related to the outbreak in Tocantins, in the municipality of Campos Lindos. A family was diagnosed with measles after returning from the country and, belonging to a community of natural practices, with many unvaccinated people, the virus spread rapidly, said Eder Gatti, director of DPNI (National Immunization Program Department).

It is considered normal that when there are areas of large circulation of measles, countries without circulation have sporadic cases. Marilda Siqueira, head of the laboratory of respiratory viruses, extending, enteroviruses and viral emergencies of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute

Risk of virus reintroduction in Brazil exists, but it is possible to contain. “There is a huge risk that the virus enters the country. What it has to do is block, good investigation to recognize cases early and make imported cases not generate cases of circulation in Brazil,” says Rosana Richtmann, coordinator of the SBI (Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases) Committee. According to the Ministry of Health, the cases registered so far – spaced and imported – do not compromise the certification of measles elimination granted to the country by WHO.

Brazil has history with the disease. The country gained the certification of free country of measles in 2016, after intense work that began in 1992 with the first vaccination campaign. In 2018, the virus re -circulated in the territory due to the large migratory flow associated with low vaccination coverage, leading to the loss of the certificate the following year. The document was regained in November 2024 after the country proved improvement of surveillance, proper responses to the disease and efforts to increase vaccination coverage. Last year, Brazil reached the vaccination goal (95%) for the first time since 2016, considering the first dose of the triple viral.