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Over the past decade, vaccine manufacturers have established production centers closer to where the vaccines are utilized, such as in Africa and Europe.
Today, Batavia Biosciences announced a strategic collaboration with Vaccine Biotechnology City (VBC) and MEVAC to enhance vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Egypt.
As of March 13, 2025, this new collaboration builds on a previously signed license agreement for Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccines. Negotiations for Rotavirus vaccines are underway.
This vaccine production capability is essential during disease outbreaks like measles.
Through this partnership, Batavia will license proprietary processes, analytical methods, and production systems to VBC and MEVAC, empowering them to produce high-quality vaccines locally and meet international standards.
This partnership positions Egypt as a vital player in vaccine manufacturing, contributing to greater vaccine self-reliance for the Middle East and Africa.
In a press release, Ahd Hamidi, Strategic Partnership Director at Batavia Biosciences, stated, “This collaboration reflects our mission to deliver affordable and accessible vaccine solutions to regions where they are most needed. By enabling local vaccine production, we aim to empower Egypt as a critical player in the fight against preventable diseases in Africa and beyond.”
As the collaboration progresses, the Batavia, VBC, and MEVAC partnership is set to make a lasting impact on public health outcomes across Africa and the Middle East.
Since the start of the 2024/2025 dengue season in the Argentine Republic during week #31 of 2024, 1,443 cases have been confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
As of March 10, 2025, 96.9% of these dengue cases had no travel history, indicating substantial local mosquito transmission.
Argentina's Central (816) and Northwest (237) regions have reported the most cases this season.
There have been 45 cases with a travel history corresponding to people who traveled to Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, the Maldives, Thailand, India, Peru, Paraguay, and Colombia.
Likewise, millions of international travelers arrived in Argentina last year, most visiting Buenos Aires.
In 2024, about 581,000 dengue cases and 400 related fatalities were reported in Argentina.
As part of the Strategic Plan for Dengue Prevention and Control 2024-2025, Argentina's Minister of Health, Mario Lugones, chaired a meeting on March 11, 2025, regarding actions being carried out, the results achieved to date, and the lines of work to be followed to support and strengthen the jurisdictions' response capacity to address future dengue outbreaks,
Progress was also shared on developing a new national dynamic map that will include geographic, demographic, and climatic data linked to rainfall and temperature records across the country. This will allow for the adoption of preventive measures and the anticipation of potential dengue outbreaks.
To alert international visitors of the health risk, the U.S. CDC reissued a Travel Helath Advisory for the dengue epidemic in the Americas. Since dengue vaccines are currently unavailable in the U.S., the CDC recommends avoiding mosquito bites for travelers to endemic areas.
Additionally, Argentina's Zika virus outbreak has accelerated in 2025, now recording 288 cases this year.
The CDC does recommend various routine and travel vaccinations, such as for chikungunya and yellow fever, before visiting Argentina in 2025.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) released data today that indicates the ongoing transmission of measles across the EU/EEA has continued into 2025.
In 2024, 127,350 measles cases were reported in the European Region, double the cases reported for 2023.
During this period, Romania reported the most cases.
Among those diagnosed with measles with information available on their vaccination status, about 86% were unvaccinated as of March 11, 2025.
This unfortunate disclosure heightens the health risk in Bucharest, Romania's capital city and popular tourism destination. About 6 million people visited Bucharest last year.
In 2024, Romania reported the highest number of measles cases in the European Region, with over 30,000 cases.
According to previous research published in January 2025, Romania's current measles epidemic is driven mainly by two D8 genotype variants with different mutation profiles and slightly different severities.
Phylogenetic analysis identified two well-supported clusters, suggesting at least two local transmission networks in Romania.
These researchers wrote, "To improve vaccination programs in Romania, sustained genetic surveillance of this pathogen and immune waning evaluation of vaccinated adults are recommended."
"The ability to accurately track viral lineages via genetic sequencing is yet another valuable tool for developing an adequate monitoring and surveillance capacity, which can lead to a better identification of transmission chains and, therefore, aid in interrupting measles outbreaks."
Since measles transmission and outbreaks are being reported globally, the ECDC encourages international travellers to check their vaccination status before departing abroad, as the MMR vaccine takes at least two weeks to become effective.
Note: This news article was updated on 3/13/25 with data from the WHO.
With over 13,000 Americans visiting Samoa in 2024 and more people arriving in 2025, the U.S. Department of State evaluated its travel advisory for the Independent State of Samoa.
On March 10, 2025, the State Department reissued a Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions, Travel Advisory for Samoa, an island country in Polynesia. There is a country-wide population of about 200,000 in Savai'i and Upolu and on the smaller islands of Manono and Apolima.
Often confused with American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the U.S., Samoa, previously known as Western Samoa, is about 100 miles away.
According to the local tourist board, the impact of Map Samoa has been profound. It has simplified travel planning, making it easier for tourists and visitors to discover and explore Samoa's hidden gems.
Suppose you decide to visit this Pacific Ocean paradise in 2025. In that case, the local U.S. embassy suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive digital alerts and to ensure you can be located in an emergency.
From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC has not included Samoa in its recent travel advisories.
"Samoa promises South Pacific travelers an idyllic beach escape, yet visitors must prioritize health precautions against food- and waterborne diseases like typhoid fever and hepatitis A," Jeri Beales MSN, RN, BS, informed Vax-Before-Travel News.
"With the Samoan government launching a typhoid vaccination campaign for its citizens in 2021 and 2022 due to elevated infection rates, it's clear this is a serious local concern—making pre-travel vaccinations for visitors all the more essential," added Beales, who leads the Massachusetts-based Destination Health Travel Clinic.
As of March 2025, the CDC recommends that future visitors to Samoa speak with a vaccination expert about route and travel vaccine options for diseases such as measles, typhoid, and yellow fever.
Note: This VBT news article was updated on March 16, 2025, to include vaccine expert insight.
A South Korean vaccine and biotech company announced today that it has shipped its self-developed influenza vaccine to countries in the Southern Hemisphere ahead of the arrival of the new flu season.
SK bioscience confirmed on March 12, 2025, that it has begun shipping SKYCellflu to Southeast Asia and Latin America markets. A total of 750,000 doses will be supplied to countries in these markets in the first half of 2025.
SKYCellflu is the world's first cell culture-based influenza vaccine to obtain WHO Prequalification.
SK bioscience's advanced technology offers key advantages over traditional egg-based production. For example, there is a reduced risk of viral mutations during manufacturing, which results in better strain matching with circulating viruses. Additionally, cell culture technology allows for a shorter production timeline, enabling faster response during outbreaks or pandemics.
This shipment marks the company's second export of influenza vaccines for Southern Hemisphere use, following its initial export to Thailand in 2024. Although Thailand is geographically located in the Northern Hemisphere, it follows both WHO's flu vaccination guidelines for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres due to its north-south span.
About 100 million flu shots were distributed in the United States for the 2024-2025 influenza season.
International travelers visiting countries in Africa in 2025 should be aware of the health risks associated with the ongoing cholera outbreak.
Cholera is a potentially fatal infection that causes severe diarrhea but can be prevented with vaccination.
While cholera is no longer a health risk in the United Kingdom (UK), it is sometimes reported in returning travellers from three WHO regions.
For example, the UK's Travel Health Pro reported on March 7, 2025, that four cases of cholera (toxigenic Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1) were locally diagnosed in mid-February 2025.
Three UK travellers were recently diagnosed with cholera after visiting the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
A fourth UK cholera case did not travel but reported consuming water from Ethiopia by one of the returned travellers before experiencing symptoms.
Ethiopia is just one of 22 areas the WHO currently identifies as a risk for cholera.
A cholera vaccine can be considered for travellers departing from the UK following a full risk assessment and those with limited access to safe water and/or underlying health problems.
According to the U.S. CDC, cholera remains a global health risk.
And when leaving the United States in March 2025, the U.S. CDC recommends that travelers speak with a travel vaccine expert about cholera prevention options. Following increased production, cholera vaccines have become more available this year.
Since early 2025, New Mexico and Texas have reported an unexpected number of measles cases, mainly in rural counties.
As of March 11, 2025, the state of Oklahoma was added to this geographic health outbreak.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) confirmed two measles cases in a press release but did not disclose the actual locations.
“These cases highlight the importance of being aware of measles activity as people travel or host visitors,” Kendra Dougherty, Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Response at OSDH said.
As of March 6, 2025, the U.S. CDC reported 222 measles cases in 12 jurisdictions this year.
These measles cases may be related to the ongoing global measles outbreak in 2025.
In a recent CDC Health Alert Network, the agency wrote that the risk for widespread measles in the United States remains low due to robust U.S. immunization and surveillance programs.
The CDC says healthcare providers should ensure all patients without other evidence of immunity, especially those planning international travel, are up to date on the MMR vaccine, which is offered at most pharmacies in the U.S.
Brazil's Ministry of Health (MOH) has been reporting data on the locations of Chikungunya patients for the past three years.
As of March 11, 2025, the MOH reported that most of the 40,000 Chikungunya cases reported this year were found in Sao Paulo (5,714) and Minus Gerias (5,120).
Last year, there were about 265,000 Chikungunya cases and 231 related fatalities in Brazil, located in similar states.
The Chikungunya virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito of the Aedes spp., which are found at beaches and in mountains below seven thousand feet in elevation.
While the U.S. CDC has not issued a Travel Health Advisory regarding Brazil's ongoing Chikungunya outbreak, it writes, 'There has been evidence of chikungunya virus transmission in Brazil within the last five years.'
Chikungunya vaccination may be considered for seniors, especially those with underlying medical conditions, who may spend at least two weeks (cumulative time) in indoor or outdoor areas where mosquitoes are present in Brazil, or visitors planning to stay in Brazil for a cumulative period of six months or more.
Before departing for Brazil, most travel clinics and pharmacies in the United States offer the U.S. FDA-approved chikungunya vaccine. Valneva SE's IXCHIQ® vaccine has been found safe and effective in various studies.
