Western Pacific countries at risk of measles outbreaks due to gaps in immunization and surveillance

In the WHO Western Pacific Region, measles cases reached up to 255% from 2022 to 2023, increased by gaps in vaccination coverage, disease surveillance, and people traveling from countries affected by outbreaks. In both 2021 and 2022 the Western Pacific Region had lower levels of mesles infections, respectively 1080 cases the first year and 1422 cases the second, but in 2023 cases raised to 5044 in total. In several Western Pacific countries the decrease of vaccination coverage through COVID-19 pandemic, continuous measles outbreaks in Philippines and persisting endemic measles transmission in Malaysia, threatened the measles resurgence in the Region for 2024−2025.