Vaccine News

Israel's Health Ministry has reported the death of an unvaccinated toddler from a measles infection. The child died due to complications related to the virus.

As of October 26, 2025, this child marks the eighth death recorded since the measles outbreak began, with all cases involving infants who did not have any underlying medical conditions and were unvaccinated.

During 2025, there have been 1,778 measles cases and 574 hospitalizations. 

The Ministry reported in a press release that the current measles outbreak areas include Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modi'in Illit, Nazareth Illit, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Safed, Netivot, and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.

In these areas, people can visit family care centers and health maintenance organizations, and vaccinations are available without an appointment.

The Ministry advises unvaccinated individuals and parents of infants who have received one dose of the vaccine to avoid participating in large gatherings in outbreak areas due to the risk of infection.

As a result of the Ministry's efforts to increase vaccination coverage, vaccinations in Jerusalem have increased by 500% since September compared to the same period last year, and by 630% in Beit Shemesh.

In light of these figures, the first-dose vaccination coverage (for ages 1-6) against measles in Jerusalem rose from 77% to 84%, and in Beit Shemesh from 72% to 82.6%.

According to the U.S. CDC, international travelers planning to visit Israel in 2025 should be fully vaccinated against measles and polio.

In the USA, these vaccines are offered at travel clinics and pharmacies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that polio vaccine coverage in Europe is at its lowest level in several years, leaving more than 450,000 infants unprotected.

In 2024, polio vaccination rates in Europe decreased.

"Gaps in immunization coverage make children vulnerable and pose a health security risk to our region and beyond," stated Ihor Perehinets, MPH, the regional emergency director for WHO's European office, in a press release issued on October 24, 2025.

This WHO warning comes as new polio cases have been confirmed in Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

In Afghanistan, two patients were infected with wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), with paralysis onset in early October, bringing the country's total WPV1 cases to nine for 2025.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea (PNG) reported two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) this week in Central and Enga provinces, with paralysis onset in August. So far this year, PNG has confirmed three cVDPV2 cases.

Furthermore, poliovirus type 2 has been detected through routine wastewater surveillance in 6 countries in the Region (Finland, Germany, Israel, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom) since September 2024.

WHO/Europe, together with other GPEI partners, continues to support national and local public health authorities in their investigations and monitoring of the situation, as well as in strengthening immunization programs and rapidly responding to detections of the virus to prevent it from spreading. 

To alert international travelers to their polio risk in 2025, the U.S. CDC has issued a Travel Health Notice listing 39 countries. The CDC advises travelers to be fully vaccinated before visiting these areas.

Since the first cases of Oropouche virus disease (OROV) were detected in Panama at the end of 2024 and the beginning of this year, a total of 613 confirmed cases have been reported across seven regions in Panama during 2025.

According to Panama's health ministry, OROV crossed the southern border from Colombia and is now found in Panamá Metro, Los Santos, Herrera, Panamá Norte, Veraguas, Panamá Oeste, Coclé, Darién, and Panamá Este (East Panama).

This disease is primarily spread by the bites of infected biting midges (small flies) and mosquitoes.

The Ministry of Health recommends that residents living in areas with active virus transmission use repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and install mosquito nets or wire mesh on doors and windows. They are also urged to avoid traveling to areas with active virus transmission.

Blas Armién, national head of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Health, explained in a media release on October 22, 2025, "Of the 15 health regions, at least seven have identified the circulation of OROV in the human population."

Armién added the most common symptoms of Oropouche include sudden onset of high fever, intense headache with photophobia, muscle and joint pain, and, in some cases, skin rashes (exanthemas).

In this regard, Armién warned that infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause genetic alterations in the fetus, such as hydrocephalus. He also emphasized the importance of attending prenatal checkups, as a case of vertical transmission (from mother to child) has been reported in Panama.

Regarding neurological disorders, he mentioned that cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and flaccid paralysis may occur.

Because it presents symptoms similar to those of dengue, a specific diagnostic algorithm is used to distinguish the two diseases.

To alert international travelers of this health risk, the U.S. CDC reissued a Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice in September 2025. The CDC has included countries such as Brazil and Cuba in this warning. 

The CDC says, given the limited information on the risk of possible spread through sex, including the unknown of whether the virus may be present in vaginal fluid, travelers and their partners concerned about possible sexual transmission of Oropouche virus can consider using condoms or not having sex during travel and for 6 weeks after returning from travel.

As of late October 2025, no preventive vaccines targeting OROV are available.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently reported that 13 countries in Europe reported about 1,000 locally acquired human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection with known place of infection.

These local WNV cases have been reported by Italy (714), Greece (91), Serbia, France, Romania, Spain, Hungary, Croatia, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Türkiye.

The ECDC says that in Europe, 63 WNV deaths have been reported in 2025.

And as of October 22, 2025, Germany was added to this unfortunate listing.

A locally acquired human case of WNV has been reported in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.

This is only the second case ever reported in Bavaria, the first being a vet in 2018. Between 2019 and 2024, 4-35 locally acquired cases of WNV were reported in Germany, most from the eastern part of the country.

With thousands of international travelers arriving to attend Oktoberfest, visitors should take steps to prevent mosquito bites.

As of October 23, 2025, there are no WNV vaccines available to protect people from this mosquito-transmitted disease.

The Costa Rica Ministry of Health (MINSA) today announced it has strengthened health control measures in the province of Bocas del Toro, after a case of yellow fever was confirmed in October 2025. 

The measures include the implementation of a sanitary checkpoint and the intensification of epidemiological surveillance at border crossings, especially in Costa Rica's Guabito area.

The MINSA health alert (DM-RM-5785-2025) was issued on October 17, 2025, after Costa Rican authorities confirmed two imported cases of yellow fever in women from the jungle region of Peru. 

One of them had a complete vaccination schedule and did not present symptoms, while the other, without immunization, did develop the disease. This patient was discharged from the hospital after showing favorable clinical progress.

In addition, the institution urged the population to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in their homes and to maintain preventive measures, especially those planning to travel to or from countries where the virus is circulating.

The Ministry of Health reiterated that anyone entering the country from endemic areas must present an international yellow fever vaccination certificate or, if not, receive the corresponding dose upon arrival. 

Furthermore, MINSA Regional Director Daryl Palmore reported that the process of obtaining new doses of the yellow fever vaccine has begun to ensure its availability in the province and protect communities along the border.

Since 2017, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded its yellow fever vaccine recommendations for certain travelers visiting at-risk zones. However, the CDC has not issed a Travel Health Notice regarding Costa Rica's recent yellow fever disclosures. 

In the USA, yellow fever vaccination services are commercailly offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in 2025.

Two United States agencies recently updated travel advisories focused on discouraging international travelers from visiting the Republic of Colombia this year.

From a health perspectovem the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a Level 2 Travel Health Notice in September 2025, stating there is an increased number of  mosquiteo-transmitted yellow fever cases in Colombia.

According to a Facebook post, as of October 19, 2025, a total of 136 confirmed yellow fever cases (60 deaths), have been reported in Colombia during 2024/25. The majority of cases have been reported in Tolima Department with 116 cases and 45 deaths. 

The CDC has also included Colombia in its Level 1 dengue and measles notices in 2025.

The CDC advices everyone planning a visit to Colombia speak with a travel vaccine expert about their immuinzation options before departing abroad.

Seperately, the U.S Department of State has issued a Level 3, Reconsider travel to Colombia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

The State Department advices visitors to not visit Arauca, Cauca (excluding Popayán), and Norte de Santander departments due to crime and terrorism. And anywhere near the Colombia-Venezuela border region.

If you do visiting Colombia in 2025, the government suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive digital messages from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 

The last Ebola Zaire patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was recently discharged, marking a milestone in the efforts to end the this African country's 16th outbreak.

If no new cases are detected, this Ebola outbreak will be declared over in early December 2025.

In total, 64 cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable) have been reported since the outbreak was declared in Bulape health zone, in Kasai Province.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), despite the challenges of distance, poor roads, and limited infrastructure, the Ministry of Health, with strong support from partners, acted swiftly to scale up outbreak response measures.  

For example, more than 35,000 people have been vaccinated against Ebola in Bulape.

"The recovery of the last patient just six weeks after the outbreak was declared is a remarkable achievement that shows how strong partnership, national expertise, and determination have contributed to overcoming challenges to save and protect lives," said Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a press release on October 19, 2025.

In mid-September, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued Health Alert Network Health Advisory CDCHAN-00524 stating that the risk of Ebola spread to the United States is currently considered low.

The CDC says the ERVEBO® vaccine is approved for preventing the Ebola Zaire virus disease. However, it should only be given to people who meet specific criteria, such as visiting an outbreak zone.

Additionally, two approved treatments treat Ebola virus infection: Inmazeb™ and Ebanga™.