985 Suspected Measles Cases Prompt NTB Provincial Government to Declare Outbreak in Three Districts
The Health Department (Dinkes) of Nusa Tenggara Barat Province (NTB) has declared an Extraordinary Event (KLB) of suspected measles in three districts: Bima Regency, Bima City, and Dompu Regency. The declaration follows a surge in cases over the past several weeks, with a total of 985 suspected measles cases recorded by week 7 of 2026, all originating from these three districts.
Lalu Hamzi Fikri, Head of the NTB Health Department, stated that the case increase is driven by several factors, particularly the persistence of children who have not received complete measles-rubella (MR) immunisation.
“This increase is influenced by groups of children who have not received complete MR immunisation. In recent years, routine immunisation coverage has also experienced fluctuations, resulting in an accumulation of populations vulnerable to measles transmission,” he said in an official statement received on Thursday (12 March 2026).
Hamzi explained that high population mobility during year-end and year-start periods has also contributed to case transmission. Additionally, delays in case detection and initial response in the field have accelerated disease spread.
“We also observe high population mobility at year-end and year-start, compounded by delays in detection and initial response in several areas. Environmental factors and community behaviour also influence the rise in cases,” he explained.
According to Hamzi, the majority of cases occur in children under five years of age, most of whom have incomplete immunisation status or have never been immunised.
“Recorded cases are dominated by children under five years old, most of whom have incomplete immunisation status or have never been immunised. This demonstrates that low immunisation coverage is the primary risk factor for this outbreak,” he stated.
To curb disease transmission, the NTB Provincial Government, alongside district and city governments, has implemented various measures, including strengthening active surveillance and contact tracing down to village and health centre levels.
“We are strengthening active surveillance and contact tracing at village and health centre levels. Additionally, we are implementing Outbreak Response Immunisation (ORI) across all health centres in Bima Regency, Bima City, and Dompu Regency, prioritising infants and children aged 9 to 59 months,” Fikri said.
Beyond immunisation, case management also involves administering vitamin A to measles patients to prevent complications and reduce mortality risk.
Hamzi added that the government is also strengthening public education regarding measles symptoms and the importance of seeking immediate medical attention at health facilities when experiencing fever accompanied by cough, rhinitis, and rash.
“We are also ensuring the availability of outbreak logistics such as vaccines, vitamin A, and clinical management support at health facilities. Health facilities are also strengthening isolation triage for measles so that suspects with fever, rash, and cough or rhinitis symptoms can be immediately isolated to prevent wider transmission,” he said.
The NTB Health Department emphasised that it will continue monitoring and evaluating the situation regularly until it is declared under control.
“We urge the community to remain calm but vigilant. The active role of parents is crucial in ensuring children receive complete immunisation according to schedule so that the measles transmission chain can be broken,” Hamzi concluded.