Bolivia: 2025 Measles

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Source: https://en.mercopress.com/2025/06/23...ted-in-bolivia

Measles epidemic reported in Bolivia
Monday, June 23rd 2025 - 21:38 UTC

Bolivian health authorities confirmed 50 cases of measles plus another 300 under suspicion, which prompted the declaration of an epidemic, primarily in Santa Cruz, with additional detections in La Paz and Potosí.

The outbreak, affecting individuals aged 9 months to 42 years, is driven by low vaccination rates, with 30% of children unvaccinated.

Vice Minister of Epidemiological Promotion and Surveillance, Max Enríquez, emphasized the need for mass vaccination, particularly in schools, with 500,000 vaccine doses available...

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Source: https://www.elpais.cr/2025/07/27/con...es-en-bolivia/

Measles surge continues with 175 cases in three months in Bolivia
By Xinhua -
July 27, 2025

La Paz, July 27 (Xinhua) — Bolivia has recorded its largest measles outbreak in more than a decade with 175 confirmed cases since April 24, including 147 in the eastern department of Santa Cruz, a region that has become the epicenter of a health crisis that has spread to eight of the country's nine departments, Health and Sports Minister María Renée Castro announced Sunday.

On June 24, the Bolivian government declared a "national health emergency" to try to contain the virus with a mass vaccination plan that combines international donations, urgent purchases, and mobile brigades.

Renée Castro told reporters that since last April, the virus has spread to eight of the nine departments of the South American country, and the focus remains in Santa Cruz, with a high risk of spread nationwide.

"We are managing the acquisition of nearly 2 million additional doses (of vaccines). There is a global waiting list because many countries are experiencing outbreaks, but we have requested priority," the minister commented.

Bolivia has received approximately 1 million donated measles vaccines, including 600,000 from Brazil, 300,000 from India, and 100,000 from Venezuela, in addition to 500,000 doses purchased with its own resources.

"No one can assume that measles is under control until we vaccinate the entire vulnerable population," stated the Minister of Health and Sports, adding that "we should not wait for the mobile brigades and go to health centers during the school break."

The government's goal is to vaccinate more than 1.5 million children and adolescents through the brigades by the end of August, with priority given to outlying neighborhoods and isolated communities.

According to the minister, the goal is to break the chain of transmission before the arrival of the southern hemisphere spring, when internal mobility increases and the risk of infection soars...