Measles Cases Surge in Kazakhstan, Driven by Low Child Vaccination Rates

The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan reports a continued rise in measles incidence across the country. Since the beginning of 2026, health authorities have registered 4,184 confirmed cases.

Children under the age of 14 account for the overwhelming majority—83.8%—of those infected. Over the past week, the infection rate has increased by 1.3 times compared to the previous period.

Health officials identify insufficient vaccination coverage among target age groups as the primary driver of the outbreak. An analysis shows that 77% of those who fell ill were unvaccinated. In more than half (55%) of these cases, parents had refused immunization for their children.

In response, authorities are intensifying a nationwide complex of preventive and anti-epidemic measures. This includes continuing both routine and catch-up vaccination campaigns for children and implementing emergency immunization for contacts in identified infection hotspots.

Other measures involve daily medical observation of contact persons for 21 days and temporarily restricting access to preschools for unvaccinated children when cases are detected there.

The Republican Headquarters on Immunoprophylaxis is overseeing the response, reviewing reports from regional health departments. For instance, upon initiative from the Zhambyl region's sanitary-epidemiological service, additional funds have been allocated to purchase vaccines.

More than 4,000 training seminars have been conducted nationwide for healthcare workers on diagnosing and clinically managing patients with vaccine-preventable infections.

The ministry highlighted a concerning long-term trend: over the past eight years, refusals for vaccination have increased by 4.8 times. This directly undermines herd immunity and complicates efforts to stabilize the epidemiological situation.

The Ministry of Health urges citizens to act responsibly and ensure their children receive vaccinations on schedule according to the National Immunization Calendar, emphasizing that vaccination remains the only effective way to prevent severe complications from measles.