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The global reemergence of measles since 2018 has led to increased importation of this virus to the
Americas, greatly endangering the sustainability of measles elimination at the regional and global
levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a total of 229,068 cases in 2018 and
429,650 cases in 2019.

In the Americas, a total of 16,822 cases and 91 deaths were reported in 2018. There were 19,530
reported cases and 15 deaths in 2019, according to the most recent data.

As people travel and move, measles has spread to other countries, infecting susceptible persons and
continuing to spread. The cases reported in six countries of the Region following the Venezuelan
outbreak are related to it. This is why it is essential to protect the other countries in order to control
and interrupt the disease.

Public health concerns

Other public health concerns in Venezuela include an outbreak of diphtheria and an increase in
cases of tuberculosis and malaria, as well as maternal and infant mortality, mental health, violence
prevention, the reduced capacity of the health system to serve the priority needs of the population,
and limited access to medicines, adequate nutrition, and adequate services for people with
potentially life-threatening acute and chronic diseases such as HIV.

Since 2016, PAHO has stepped up its technical cooperation with the Ministry of Health,
international partners, and local nongovernmental organizations in order to strengthen health system
management, improve the prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases,
reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, improve emergency management and acquire medicines,
vaccines, laboratory reagents, and other supplies for health programs. The Organization has also
increased its technical cooperation activities in neighboring countries.