El Salvador reports imported measles cases as Chile ramps up vaccination outreach

El Salvador's health ministry said more than 27 imported measles cases have been confirmed, with about 90 % of those patients lacking a complete vaccination schedule. The country maintains an overall immunisation coverage above 95 %, the highest in Latin America, and has recorded 756 febrile rash illnesses – the most since 2019 – prompting renewed public‑health warnings and calls for timely vaccination.

In Chile, which has not recorded indigenous measles since 1993, the Ministry of Health launched the "Chile contra el sarampión" campaign. The initiative uses WhatsApp messages, phone calls and active school‑based searches to reach over 140 000 children with incomplete vaccine schedules, aiming to keep national coverage above 95 %. Officials cited more than 22 000 measles cases across the Americas this year, underscoring the risk of imported infections and the need for sustained immunisation efforts.