Deadly Measles Outbreak Grips Zambia: 119 Cases and Four Deaths Confirmed
Zambia has confirmed 119 measles cases out of 700 suspected between January and June 2026, with Western Province as the epicentre, prompting an emergency vaccination campaign. The Ministry of Health highlights significant immunity gaps, particularly among unimmunized children, and has activated a comprehensive multi-sectoral response to combat the outbreak.
The Zambian government has officially confirmed 119 measles cases out of a total of 700 suspected cases recorded between January and June 2026. Western Province has been identified as the epicentre of this outbreak, leading the Ministry of Health to initiate an urgent vaccination campaign targeting children in five high-risk districts.
Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, Permanent Secretary for Technical Services at the Ministry of Health, provided these details at a media briefing in Lusaka. He stated that Western Province bears the highest burden with 329 suspected cases, although the outbreak has also affected Lusaka, North Western, and Southern provinces. Nationally, the outbreak has resulted in 92 hospital admissions and four deaths. Specifically, Shang’ombo and Sikongo Districts in Western Province accounted for 83 admissions and three mortalities, while Lusaka district reported four admissions and one death.
Dr. Lishimpi underscored the severity of the situation, noting, “Measles remains one of the most contagious viral diseases and continues to pose a significant public health threat, especially among children who are unimmunized and partially immunized.” He cautioned that while many cases are self-limiting, measles can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, blindness, and inflammation of the brain, which can ultimately be fatal.
An analysis of the confirmed cases revealed a critical finding: 87.4 percent of those affected had an unknown or missing immunization history. Dr. Lishimpi emphasized that this highlights significant immunity gaps within the affected communities and stressed the importance for families and caregivers to ensure children receive their vaccinations according to the recommended schedule. He reassured parents that the measles vaccine is safe, effective, and provided free of charge at all Government health facilities as part of the National Routine Immunization Programme.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Ministry of Health has fully activated the National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (NPHOC) under the Zambia National Public Health Institute. This centre will coordinate a comprehensive, multi-sectoral response across all districts impacted by the outbreak. Dr. Lishimpi announced that targeted Emergency Measles-Rubella Outbreak Immunisation campaigns for children aged 6 months to 9 years will take place from July 6 to July 11, 2026, in the high-risk districts of Sikongo, Shangombo, Chavuma, Chirundu, and Lusaka. Routine immunization efforts will continue in all other districts.
Furthermore, the ministry has intensified enhanced surveillance and rapid response measures. Multidisciplinary rapid response teams are being deployed within 24 hours to investigate every confirmed case, conduct thorough contact tracing, and implement appropriate public health interventions. To support these efforts, the ministry is distributing essential supplies including vaccines, laboratory reagents, medicines, and other emergency response commodities to affected provinces, aiming to bolster frontline health workers and ensure uninterrupted service delivery. Risk communication and community engagement initiatives have also been scaled up to encourage vaccine uptake, promote early health-seeking behaviour, and actively address misinformation surrounding vaccines.