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The Plurinational State of Bolivia recently declared a National Health Emergency in response to a measles outbreak in ten communities.
The government reported on June 25, 2025, that Health Minister Maria Renee Castro highlighted the severity of measles, describing it as a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death, particularly among malnourished or immunocompromised children.
"The most affected group is children under 10 years old; therefore, we declared Red Alert in Santa Cruz and enabled vaccination centers in 24-hour health facilities in all 56 municipalities until weekends,"
She stressed, "It is essential that parents get their children vaccinated. The country has 500,000 doses, specifically for girls and boys."
As of June 26, 2025, the U.S. CDC has included Bolivia in its recent measles and yellow fever Travel Health Advisories, recommending that travelers speak with a travel vaccine expert before visiting Bolivia.
These travel alerts are essential, as about 1 million people visited Bolivia last year.
The first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to become significantly less expensive in Africa soon.
This news is essential as most of the malaria-endemic countries have the highest rates of infections and deaths, which are found in Africa.
Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and GSK plc today announced that Bharat Biotech will reduce the price of the RTS,S vaccine (Mosquirix™) by more than half, to less than $5, progressively by 2028.
This price reduction is driven by process improvements, expanded production capacity, cost-effective manufacturing, and minimal profit margins. Bharat Biotech has invested over $200 million in new, higher-output manufacturing facilities, product development, and technology transfers.
Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of BBIL, said in a press release, "Through this historic announcement, we aim to change the course of malaria burden for millions of children and families. For us, this is more than a cooperation, it’s a promise..... At Bharat Biotech, we believe technology must deliver on three essentials: safety, affordability, and accessibility."
"With this collaboration, we are turning this belief into real impact, to ensure life-saving vaccines reach the communities that need them most.”
With Gavi’s support, 12 endemic countries in Africa will have introduced RTS,S through routine immunisation programmes by the end of 2025.
As of June 26, 2025, neither malaria vaccine is available in the United States.
Sante Publique France reported today that a total of eight locally acquired cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in southern France since late May 2025.
Cases in France's mainland were reported in Occitane (Hérault and Gard), Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Var and Bouches-du-Rhône), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Drôme), and on the island of Corse (Corse-du-Sud).
Although declining as of June 25, 2025, the number of chikungunya cases that have traveled to Réunion and the Indian Ocean remains high. It contributes to the early appearance of indigenous transmission.
Additionally, 645 imported cases of chikungunya have been reported over the past nine weeks.
The government says, 'This number of episodes has never been observed in France before.'
Public Health France reiterates the importance of protective measures against mosquito bites, the control of larval breeding sites, and the use of protective vaccination, if appropriate.
Overall, global coverage for vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, polio, and tuberculosis nearly doubled from 1980 to 2023.
However, this long-term trend masks recent challenges.
To achieve 90% global coverage for life-course vaccines, we must accelerate progress to reach current estimates of zero-dose children.
As of June 24, 2025, most zero-dose children remain concentrated in regions with various resource constraints that limit the availability of vaccination services.
This analysis, published in The Lancet, discloses that, as of 2023, more than 50% of the 15.7 million global zero-dose children reside in eight countries: Nigeria, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Indonesia, and Brazil.
These researchers wrote, 'findings underscore the crucial need for targeted, equitable immunisation strategies, strengthening primary health-care systems, and adapting to local contexts are essential to advancing coverage.'
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) today issued updated travel advice for visiting the Kingdom of Thailand.
On June 24, 2025, the FCDO posted new information about the temporary suspension of border crossings due to civial unrest.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border, such as Pattani Province, Yala Province, Narathiwat Province, and southern Songkhla Province, south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and south of the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Padang Besar.
Additionally, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line, which runs through these provinces.
This advisory may impact Thailand's international tourist arrivals, which reached about 35 million in 2024.
From a health advisory perspective, the U.S. CDC previously issued disease outbreak warnings and vaccination recommendations regarding chikungunya, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, measles, rabies, and typhoid.
On June 13, 2025, the CDC advised prospective visitors to Thailand to consult with a travel vaccine expert about immunization options.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently confirmed that the overall risk associated with the yellow fever situation in the Americas Region, particularly in endemic countries such as the Federative Republic of Brazil, is classified as ¨High¨.
As of June 24, 2025, mosquito-borne transmissions of the yellow fever virus (YFV) have been confirmed throughout the states, including São Paulo State.
The YFV was detected in two distinct geographic locations in São Paulo, between September 2024 and February 2025. Phylogenetic analysis of six new genomes revealed a reintroduction in 2022 from Midwest Brazil
According to Brazil's Ministry of Health, yellow fever is an acute, vaccine-preventable, febrile infectious disease with high mortality rates in its severe forms. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission, so avoiding mosquito bites is crucial.
Vaccination is the primary tool for preventing yellow fever in Brazil.
Since April 2017, Brazil has adopted a vaccination schedule of only one dose for life, a measure that aligns with the World Health Organization's recommendations.
When visiting Brazil and other areas endemic for yellow fever in 2025, the U.S. CDC recommends being vaccinated at least 10 days before departure. The YF-VAX vaccine is available at certified travel clinics and pharmacies in the United States.
