A report has been submitted, requesting the HCMC's People's Committee to issue an official declaration.
Since the beginning of the year, measles cases in HCMC have been declining rapidly across all age groups. As of the 12th week of 2025 (March 17-23), 50 wards and communes in 13 districts and Thu Duc City have reported no new cases for at least three consecutive weeks.
The Department of Health has reviewed the situation and recommended declaring the outbreak over in the 22 eligible wards and communes, where no new cases have been recorded for 21 consecutive days and all required disease prevention measures have been implemented.
Despite this, the city will continue monitoring for suspected cases in the community and schools to prevent a resurgence. Vaccination efforts remain ongoing to ensure children receive both doses of the measles vaccine, along with catch-up vaccinations for those who missed their shots.
Public awareness campaigns are also being intensified to promote the benefits of vaccination, encourage parents to follow immunization schedules, and emphasize hygiene practices.
"The public should not be complacent about measles prevention. To effectively control the disease, parents should ensure children are fully vaccinated, wash hands regularly, cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, maintain a healthy diet, and keep their living environment clean," the Department of Health advised.
According to the HCMC Department of Health, since the start of the outbreak, hospitals in the city have treated 8,087 measles cases from local districts (4,781 inpatients and 3,306 outpatients) and 12,226 cases from other provinces (7,681 inpatients and 4,545 outpatients).
In September 2024, the Department of Health convened experts to standardize the use of Immunoglobulin (IVIG) for specific measles patients, establishing guidelines for its administration. Four central hospitals were assigned to update the measles diagnosis and treatment protocols, which were approved by the department’s Scientific and Technological Council and submitted to the Ministry of Health. These efforts have helped control severe cases and reduce measles-related deaths.
Among the 8,087 cases in HCMC, 151 patients (1.6 percent) required respiratory support. Seven fatalities were recorded, equivalent to 1 in 1,000 cases, all involving children with congenital conditions or severe underlying diseases who had not been vaccinated.
Timeline of the measles outbreak and containment in HCMC
- May 23, 2024: The first measles cases were reported after more than two years without any recorded infections in the city.
- August 27, 2024: The HCMC People’s Committee declared a citywide measles outbreak, providing the legal basis for comprehensive disease control measures. The city allocated local funds to purchase vaccines for outbreak prevention.
- August 31, 2024: Three days after the outbreak declaration, a mass vaccination campaign for children aged 1 to 10 was launched across the city. The campaign continued uninterrupted, including during holidays, with 5,034 children vaccinated in the first few days. The Department of Health also collaborated with the Department of Education and Training to implement school-based measles vaccinations.
- September 7, 2024: The school-based vaccination campaign officially began, with 1,156 children receiving measles vaccines on the first day.
A total of 112 private vaccination centers joined the effort, offering free measles vaccines to children aged 1 to 10, including on weekends. The citywide campaign was conducted safely, with all adverse events monitored, reported, and managed per Ministry of Health regulations.
- November 12, 2024: With approval from the Ministry of Health, HCMC expanded vaccinations to include infants aged 6 to under 9 months.
- March 23, 2025: The vaccination campaign had administered 280,244 doses citywide. Coverage reached 100 percent for children aged 1 to 5 and 99.51 percent for children aged 6 to 10. This large-scale effort has contributed to bringing the measles outbreak under control.
