Measles, Mumps and Chickenpox Cases in Pakistan 2026: Weekly Count and Lab Results (Latest: Week 41)

Short answer: Pakistan reported 333 suspected measles cases, 388 mumps cases and 212 chickenpox cases in week 41 of 2026. Mumps jumped 53 per cent in one week and chickenpox 35 per cent. Labs confirmed measles in 213 samples the same week. The figures are from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) weekly disease bulletin, posted on 28 October.

These three illnesses spread easily among children, in classrooms and in crowded homes. Measles is the most dangerous of them and is preventable with two free vaccine doses. This page tracks the weekly counts from NIH by province and shows what the labs confirmed. We will update it with each new bulletin.

Measles has held near 330 suspected cases a week

NIH counted 342, 317, 355, 324 and 333 suspected measles cases in weeks 37 to 41 of 2026. The count is flat, not falling. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 260 of the 333 cases in week 41, or 78 per cent.

Mumps and chickenpox moved more. Mumps went from 254 in week 40 to 388 in week 41. Chickenpox went from 157 to 212. NIH's own summary for week 41 lists measles, mumps and chickenpox among the vaccine preventable diseases that rose that week.

All of these are suspected cases reported by health facilities. Punjab is marked "NR", not reported, in the weekly case tables, so the totals leave out Pakistan's largest province.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports most measles, mumps and chickenpox

In week 41, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 260 suspected measles cases, 201 mumps cases and 182 chickenpox cases. That is the largest share of each. Sindh reported 40 measles cases and Balochistan 23.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also reported 4 probable diphtheria cases and 15 whooping cough cases in week 41. Diphtheria and whooping cough are both covered by the free childhood vaccines. For the Hangu diphtheria cluster NIH reported earlier, see our report on zero dose children in KP.

Labs confirmed measles in 213 samples in week 41

Public health labs tested 652 measles samples in week 41 and 213 were positive, about one in three. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had 121 positives from 284 tests. Punjab's labs confirmed 42 from 261, even though Punjab is missing from the case count.

In week 41 the other positives were 31 in Sindh, 12 in Balochistan, 4 in Islamabad and 3 in Azad Kashmir. These are our sums from the province columns of NIH's lab table. Confirmed cases are real infections, so the lab line is the firmer of the two signals.

Two free measles doses are the main protection

Measles can cause pneumonia, brain swelling and death in young children. Pakistan's routine immunisation programme gives measles vaccine free at government centres. A child needs both doses.

1. Find your child's vaccination card and check for both measles doses. Our guide on checking your child's measles vaccination shows the ages.
2. If a dose is missing, take the child to the nearest government vaccination centre. Missed doses can still be given.
3. Check the rest of the free schedule, including the doses that cover diphtheria and whooping cough, in our EPI vaccination schedule.
4. Keep a child with fever and rash at home and away from babies and pregnant women.
5. See a doctor for a high fever with rash, breathing trouble, fits or a child who will not drink.

We give no treatment advice. Mumps and chickenpox are usually milder, but a doctor should see any child who seems very unwell.

Find the figures in the NIH bulletin

The NIH bulletin is a free PDF on the NIH weekly bulletin page. Table 1 gives measles, mumps, chickenpox, whooping cough and diphtheria by province. Table 5 gives the lab results, with measles listed by province as tests and positives.

District tables in the bulletin list only each province's ten most common diseases, so measles rarely appears there. For a past week's detail, see our week 39 measles report.

Common questions

How many measles cases are there in Pakistan in 2026?

NIH's week 41 bulletin lists 333 suspected measles cases in one week and 213 lab confirmed cases. Weekly suspected counts have stayed between 317 and 355 since week 37.

Which province has the most measles cases?

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 260 of the 333 suspected cases in week 41 and 121 lab confirmed cases.

Are mumps cases rising in Pakistan?

Yes, in the latest week. Mumps rose from 254 in week 40 to 388 in week 41. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 201 of them.

How many chickenpox cases were reported this week?

The week 41 bulletin lists 212 suspected chickenpox cases, up from 157 in week 40. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 182.

Is the measles vaccine free in Pakistan?

Yes. Measles vaccine is part of the routine immunisation schedule and is given free at government vaccination centres. A child needs both doses.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read the NIH IDSR weekly bulletins for weeks 37 to 41 of 2026 from the NIH weekly bulletin page on 4 November 2026. Weekly counts are from Table 1 and lab results from Table 5 of each bulletin. Lab totals, percentages and week on week changes are our own arithmetic.