Measles in Africa
08 Nov 2024
The World Health Organization reports continued transmission of measles in Africa in 2024.
The latest figures from affected countries are:
Benin: from 1 January 2024 to 23 June 2924 there were 728 suspected cases of measles.
Burkina Faso: from 1 January 2024 to 28 May 2024 there were 9 904 suspected measles cases, including 46 deaths.
Burundi: from 1 January 2024 to 12 February 2024 there were 34 deaths from measles.
Cameroon: From 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2024 there were 645 suspected measles cases, including 104 deaths.
Central African Republic: from 1 January 2023 to 26 August 2024 there were 802 suspected measles cases, including 1 death.
Chad: from 1 January 2024 to 5 May 2024 there were 5 631 suspected measles cases, including 20 deaths.
Congo: from 1 January 2024 to 18 August 2024 there were 372 suspected measles cases including 4 deaths.
Côte d'Ivoire: from 1 January 2024 to 23 June 2024 there were 5 617 suspected measles.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: from week 1 January 2024 to 11 August 2024 there were 72 274 measles cases including 1 786 deaths.
Ethiopia: from 1 January 2024 to through 29 September 2024 there were 28 636 cases including 216 deaths.
Ghana: from 1 January 2024 to 19 April 2024, Ghana reported 1 830 suspected measles cases.
Guinea: from 1 January 2024 to 28 August 2024 there were 769 suspected measles cases.
Kenya: from 1 January 2023 to 13 June 2024 there were 1 543 measles cases including 11 deaths.
Liberia: from 13 December 2021 to 2 June 2024 there were 13 711 suspected measles cases including 95 deaths.
Malawi: from 12 September 2024 to 13 October 2024 there were 3 confirmed cases of measles.
Mali: from 1 January 2024 to 4 September 2024 there were 769 suspected measles cases of measles.
Mauritania: from 1 January 2024 to 12 May 2024 there were 2 384 suspected measles cases.
Mozambique: from 9 July 2024 to 21 August 2024 there were 283 measles cases reported, including 18 deaths.
Namibia: from 1 January 2024 to 5 June 2024 there were 39 suspected measles cases.
Niger: from 1 January 2024 to 10 August 2024 there were 4 429 suspected measles cases including 20 deaths.
Nigeria: from 1 January 2024 to 12 May 2024 there were 8 935 suspected measles cases.
Senegal: from 1 January 2024 to 26 May 2024 there were 252 confirmed measles cases.
South Sudan: from 1 January 2024 to 4 October 2024 there were 3 200 suspected measles cases including 41 measles deaths.
Togo: from 14 March 2024 to 16 June there were 628 suspected measles cases reported including 1 death.
Uganda: from 5 March 2024 to 19 August 2024 there were 428 measles cases including 9 deaths.
Zambia: from 1 January 2024 to 4 August 2024 there were 179 confirmed measles cases.
Measles is a highly infectious disease spread through sneezing, coughing or direct contact with respiratory fluids. It causes a rash, high temperature (fever) and muscle aches and can have serious complications.
Advice for Travellers
Travelling abroad may increase your risk of measles. Your risk of exposure may be higher if you will be visiting friends and relatives and/or mixing with the local population during your trip.
Two doses of measles vaccine (given as part of MMR in the UK) are needed in your lifetime to fully protect you.
Check with your GP before travelling to ensure you have received two doses of MMR vaccination.
If you have been previously infected with measles, this also provides you with lifelong immunity against the disease.
Children should be up to date with the UK Vaccination Schedule. This includes a dose of MMR vaccine at around 12-13 months, and a second dose usually given from 3 years 4 months of age.
- If your child has not yet had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, talk to your GP or travel health professional as they may be able to have the vaccine earlier than normal if you are travelling to an area considered to have a high risk of exposure to measles.
See the fitfortravel MMR page for further information.