Brazil expects to lose measle-free certification

SAO PAULO — Brazil’s Health Ministry says it expects the Pan American Health Organization to strip the country of its measles-free certification following the confirmation of a new case of the disease in the northern state of Para.

The ministry said Wednesday that the confirmation proved that the measles virus has been spreading in Brazil for over a year, indicating sustained transmission.

The decline in Brazil’s measles vaccination rate could also play a part in losing its disease-free status. The three-year slide caused Brazil to be again susceptible to measles after two years with no new cases.

The government has said it will set in motion measures to expand vaccination and recover its measles-free status.

The Associated Press

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