Since the beginning of 2025, the epidemiological situation in the Kyrgyz Republic for measles and rubella has deteriorated, according to the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic (RCI).
The RCI informs that, as of 18 March 2025, 4,369 suspected cases of measles and rubella had been registered. Of these, 4,055 cases had been classified as measles, including 570 cases confirmed by laboratory tests, 1,562 cases confirmed clinically, and 1,922 cases epidemiologically linked.
The incidence rate per 100,000 population is 57.6. In comparison, 14,380 cases of measles and three cases of rubella were reported in 2024 and 7,046 cases of measles and 12 cases of rubella were reported in 2023.
The analysis of age distribution of measles cases shows that the small children under 9 years are the most affected (86%).Most number of measles cases among children below one year were among children aged between five to nine months (49%) of all cases reported among children in this age group.
Analysis of vaccination status of patients diagnosed with measles by the RCI shows that the majority of them (95%, or 3,865 people) were not vaccinated and only 5% (190 people) were vaccinated. A closer analysis shows that of those who were vaccinated, 116 patients received one dose of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella (3%) and 74 patients received two doses of the MMR vaccine (2%), which shows the protective nature of the full dose of vaccination.
The majority of those who got sick with measles were getting sick before they reach their vaccine-eligible age (31%, or 1,262 children) or due to refusals of vaccination (44%, or 1,790 children).
On 18 March, the government announced eight confirmed deaths due to complications of measles.
The government of the Kyrgyz Republic has not officially declared an outbreak. However, Deputy Minister of Health Bubuzhan Arykbaeva referred to the situation of an outbreak during the briefing for press held on 19 March 2025.
She announced that Kyrgyzstan would launch an additional mopping-up immunization campaign in April due to the ongoing concerns over the rising measles cases.
According to WHO, 95% or greater coverage of two doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed to create herd immunity.
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