A measles outbreak has struck Senapati district in Manipur, with 11 confirmed cases reported on August 1, 2025, across Council River Colony, Phyamai Vabuh, TNK Gate, Yapao Colony, DV School, Road to Emesiiphro, and Mt. Everest areas. District officials revealed that 10 of the 11 patients were unvaccinated, highlighting significant gaps in immunization coverage. Results for 18 additional suspected cases are pending, raising fears of a wider spread in this hill district.

A rapid survey conducted by health authorities exposed low vaccination rates, with a district official stating, “Vaccine hesitancy has contributed significantly to the current situation.” Manipur’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), offering free measles-rubella (MR) vaccines for children aged 9 months to 15 years, has struggled in Senapati, where only 52% of the population is fully vaccinated, per 2022 CoWIN data. The 2018 MR campaign in Imphal East achieved just 68.8% coverage, underscoring persistent challenges.

The outbreak mirrors regional trends, with India’s first-dose measles coverage at 87% and second-dose at 30%, far below the WHO’s 95% target for elimination. COVID-19 disruptions, including delayed campaigns and diverted health resources, have widened these gaps, leaving 3 million Indian children unvaccinated. In Senapati, hesitancy, particularly in Naga-majority villages bordering Nagaland, stems from misinformation and distrust, exacerbated by remote access and cultural factors.

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The district administration has launched an emergency response, including a multi-stakeholder meeting to coordinate vaccination drives, community outreach, and surveillance. Isolation wards are being set up, and vitamin A is being administered to prevent complications, as seen in Mumbai’s 2022 outbreak response. Local leaders and health workers are engaging communities to counter myths, such as fears of vaccine side effects, which a 2024 study linked to social media misinformation.

Manipur’s health department aims to replicate Nepal’s successful 2023 MR campaign, which vaccinated 1.5 million children in high-risk districts. With measles’ high transmissibility—requiring 95% coverage for herd immunity—Senapati’s outbreak signals a broader risk, as seen in Nepal’s 2023 surge of 1,013 cases. The administration urges residents to vaccinate at local health centers or Anganwadi sites, warning that unchecked spread could mirror Mumbai’s 2022 epidemic, which reported 601 cases and 18 deaths.

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