Health Minister: Measles Spreads Faster than Covid-19
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that measles is one of the most infectious diseases, with the highest reproduction rate. Budi noted that an infected person can transmit the virus to up to 18 people around them, far more than Covid-19.
“So for Covid, in the early days it was one person infecting three to four people. During Omicron, it could reach eight. But measles, one person can infect up to 18 or on average 15 people. So this is the most contagious disease in the world,” Budi said during a working meeting with Commission IX of the DPR at the Parliament Building in Jakarta on Monday, 20 April 2026.
Nevertheless, Budi explained that the measles virus is not particularly deadly. Deaths in measles patients usually occur when accompanied by complications from other diseases, such as pneumonia, encephalitis, or other fatal conditions.
Furthermore, Budi described how measles transmission typically rises during winter seasons or when public mobility is high, such as during New Year holidays and school breaks. In Indonesia, for instance, there was a significant surge in measles virus transmission at the beginning of 2026, with around 2,932 suspected measles cases and 58 Extraordinary Events (KLB) in 39 districts/cities.
On the other hand, the recent spike in measles cases is closely linked to declining immunisation coverage. The trigger was the shift in health service focus during the Covid-19 pandemic, which left many children without complete measles vaccination.
Therefore, Budi said his ministry will conduct outbreak response immunisation (ORI) in areas with high cases. ORI involves vaccinating all children in affected areas regardless of their previous immunisation status. “As soon as areas with high cases are identified, we immediately vaccinate the children, whether they’ve been vaccinated or not, we give them another shot. We just sweep through and clean it up,” he said.
Budi claimed this method has proven effective in reducing measles transmission. “Once immunisation rates rise, cases immediately drop among children,” he stated.
Finally, Budi conveyed that the biggest challenge in handling measles currently is not the virus’s complexity or vaccine availability. The difficulty lies in the fact that many Indonesians are still afraid of vaccination and reluctant to immunise. “So with some cases where children die, that actually helps us in the news. Why? Because parents become more eager to have their children vaccinated,” he said.