By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organisation said more than 34,000 measles cases were confirmed across Africa in the first nine months of 2025, with young children bearing the brunt of infections, according to regional surveillance data.
Between January and September, 81,315 suspected measles cases were reported in the WHO African Region, of which 34,222, or 42.1%, were confirmed. The regional incidence of confirmed measles reached 26.9 cases per million population.
Children under five accounted for about 63% of confirmed cases, while 23% occurred among children aged 5 to 9 years. Western Africa represented nearly half of all confirmed infections, contributing 47% of the regional total.
Eight countries, Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Cameroon, Uganda and Togo, accounted for 77% of all confirmed measles cases, the agency said.
During the same period, 2,349 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported, corresponding to an incidence of 1.9 per million population. Four island nations, Cape Verde, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe and Seychelles, reported no suspected measles or rubella cases.
Confirmed measles incidence reached levels classified as “large and disruptive outbreaks” in several countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Malawi and Namibia, in addition to some of the hardest-hit states.
Nationwide measles or measles–rubella vaccination campaigns are planned for the fourth quarter of 2025 in Chad, Congo, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Togo. Ethiopia, Guinea and Niger conducted supplementary immunisation drives earlier in the year.
A total of 38,303 blood specimens were processed by national measles laboratories during the first three quarters of 2025. Low specimen collection rates were recorded in Angola, Madagascar, South Sudan and Nigeria.
Data gaps were also reported. Eritrea did not share an updated case-based database, while Rwanda and South Africa, along with South Sudan, did not provide complete laboratory databases. Discrepancies between laboratory and surveillance records in some countries underscored the need for improved data harmonisation. Ethiopia’s laboratory database lacked specimen receipt dates, limiting the assessment of certain performance indicators.
Dr Kalu Akpaka of the WHO’s vaccine-preventable disease programme thanked member states, partners and donors for their continued efforts to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance across the African region.