In the waiting rooms of neighbourhood clinics across São Paulo and the ABC industrial belt, families are once again pulling yellow vaccination cards from their bags. The state of São Paulo has confirmed 26 cases of measles so far in 2026, according to figures released by the State Health Secretariat. The jump has put local clinics on alert, especially after the state registered just two cases in all of 2025.
Most of the infections are concentrated in the metropolitan area: 23 in the capital city, two in São Bernardo do Campo, and one in Guarulhos. Health authorities report that two cases were imported from outside the region, while the remaining 24 stem from secondary transmissions linked to those travelers. The most recent cases in the city of São Paulo involve two infants under one year of age and a woman in her 30s, none of whom had been vaccinated. Overall, 19 of the 26 patients were either unvaccinated or missing doses.
The virus spreads easily through the air, particularly on crowded buses, commuter trains, and indoor spaces where vaccination rates have dipped. State data shows vaccination coverage in São Paulo at 89.35% for the first dose and 74.64% for the second dose, both well short of the official 95% target needed to prevent community outbreaks.
Vaccination drive details
To curb the spread, state and federal health authorities have mounted targeted campaigns across municipal health posts (known locally as UBS):
- Target audience: Anyone aged 6 months to 59 years living in or traveling through the affected cities.
- Locations: Public health clinics in São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, and Guarulhos.
- Deadline: The special immunization drive runs through September 1, alongside the National Multivaccination Campaign.
Measles symptoms typically appear between 7 and 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a spreading skin rash. Health officials advise anyone with symptoms to wear a mask, avoid crowded public transit, and head directly to a local health clinic for evaluation.