There were 14 measles cases as of the week ending Jul 12, compared with 11 cases in the whole of 2024.
SINGAPORE: Singapore has reported a rise in the number of measles cases this year, with 14 infections as of the week ending Jul 12, compared with 11 cases in the whole of 2024 and eight cases in 2023.
Among the 14 cases, five were infected locally. All five are adults – one had been fully vaccinated against measles, while the vaccination status of the other four is unknown, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Wednesday (Jul 23).
The other nine people contracted measles overseas.
“While the number of cases seen this year has increased compared to last year, it is lower compared to the pre-COVID years from 2015 to 2019, when the number of cases ranged from 25 to 93 during the same period,” CDA said in response to CNA’s queries amid a rise in cases globally.
The United States in 2025 recorded its worst measles epidemic in more than 30 years.
More than 1,200 cases have been confirmed since the beginning of the year in nearly 40 of the 50 US states, with Texas accounting for over 60 per cent of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Canada, which officially eradicated measles in 1998, has registered more than 3,500 cases this year.
In Southeast Asia, the Philippines reported more than 2,000 cases as of May 10, while Vietnam recorded more than 81,000 suspected cases as of May, according to UNICEF.
LOW RISK OF OUTBREAKS IN SINGAPORE
Singapore’s CDA noted that the rise in cases globally is due to falling measles vaccination rates in some countries and regions.
“Given Singapore’s position as a major travel hub and the surge in measles cases globally and regionally, we can continue to expect sporadic cases and small clusters because measles is highly transmissible among non-immune individuals,” the agency said.
“The risk of large outbreaks in the community is low given Singapore’s high vaccination coverage among local residents. Therefore, no additional border health measures will be implemented at this time.”
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or simply breathes.
It is a legally notifiable disease in Singapore, meaning all medical practitioners and laboratories are required to notify the Ministry of Health within 24 hours from the time of clinical suspicion or laboratory diagnosis.
Singapore also mandates two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children starting at 12 months.
CDA said vaccination remains the best way to protect against measles, with the vaccine effectiveness rate at about 97 per cent with two doses of the measles vaccine.
“While there may still be cases of vaccine breakthrough among vaccinated persons, this is rare,” it added.
The agency advised older children and adults without evidence of measles immunity to get vaccinated, especially if they are planning to travel to countries experiencing outbreaks.
“To prevent outbreaks and protect younger children who are yet to be vaccinated, we will continue to ensure that our population has high vaccination coverage, and we recommend the public to keep up to date with their vaccination,” said CDA.
People infected with measles are advised to self-isolate, wear a mask and avoid social interactions until they are no longer infectious.
Travellers who become unwell should wear a mask, seek medical attention promptly and inform their doctor of their travel and any exposure to measles cases, the CDA added.
Source：CNA
