Responding to a measles outbreak during the COVID-19 pandemic

On a sunny day in May, Bun Sreng Sineth and other immunization staff set up an immunization site in a Muslim community in Phnom Penh’s Mekong Operational District. On the banks of the Mekong River, children and their caregivers gathered under a tent to be immunized and to learn how to prevent COVID-19.

Sineth and her colleagues were responding to two disease outbreaks: a measles outbreak, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2020, as Cambodia confirmed its first COVID-19 case, it also confirmed 84 cases of measles.

“I’m really happy that the government continues these outreach vaccination services,” Sineth said after the final child had received his immunization. She felt confident in her ability to continue administering immunizations safely, largely because of information she had received from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Measles is a highly contagious and serious disease that has surged in recent years. Globally, November 2019 saw the greatest numbers of measles cases recorded since 2006. And although Cambodia received its measles elimination status in 2015, following years of hard work by the government and health partners like WHO, it has not been immune to the global measles resurgence.

From 1 January to 4 May 2020, Cambodia recorded 341 measles cases, a significant increase from the 44 cases recorded during the same period in 2019. Of these 341 Cambodians, 65% had not been vaccinated.

“During the pandemic, it was more important than ever to maintain routine immunization services to protect children and the community,” said Dr Li Ailan, WHO Representative to Cambodia. “Otherwise, the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks would increase, and especially the risk of an uncontrollable measles outbreak.”

Along with measles, Cambodia was in the midst of rubella and pertussis outbreaks. It was critical that children receive immunizations to prevent them from contracting these diseases, and to prevent additional strain from being placed on the public health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.