Pakistan Reports 355 Suspected Measles Cases in a Week, Labs Confirm 123 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Short answer: Pakistan reported 355 suspected measles cases in week 39 of 2026, up from 317 the week before, and 266 of them were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says. Labs confirmed 184 of 440 samples, including 123 of 239 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mumps, whooping cough and meningitis fell. Two free measles doses, at 9 and 15 months, are the protection.

The NIH put the week 39 bulletin online on Friday 16 October 2026. We downloaded the week 39 and week 38 PDFs and read every table ourselves. All figures are suspected cases reported by clinics unless we say they are lab results, and Punjab did not send its weekly report, so the national totals are undercounts.

Measles rose to 355 cases in week 39

The national count went from 317 in week 38 to 355 in week 39, a rise of 38, or 12 per cent, our arithmetic. The bulletin itself notes an increase in measles among vaccine-preventable diseases. Week 37 had 342, so the week 38 dip has been reversed. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sent 266 of the 355, which is 75 per cent.

On the standard week calendar, week 39 runs from 21 to 27 September 2026. The bulletin's provincial notes list measles among the diseases that increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Sindh. The week 38 measles count had fallen to 317 while mumps and diphtheria rose, so the two weeks have moved in opposite directions.

Labs confirmed 184 of 440 measles samples

Public health laboratories tested 440 samples for measles across seven regions in week 39 and found 184 positive, which is 42 per cent, our arithmetic. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's lab tested 239 and found 123 positive, a rate of 51 per cent. Punjab's lab, which does report test results even though the province sends no case count, tested 115 and found 19.

In week 38 the labs had tested 595 and found 167 positive, a rate of 28 per cent. So fewer samples were tested in week 39 but a higher share came back positive. Balochistan's 22 positives out of 34 is the highest rate in the table at 65 per cent.

Mumps, whooping cough and meningitis fell

Suspected mumps cases fell from 332 to 302. Whooping cough, which the bulletin calls pertussis, fell from 58 to 36, with 30 of the 36 in Balochistan. Suspected meningitis fell from 49 to 39, and chickenpox from 167 to 153. Probable diphtheria stayed at 8, with 5 in Balochistan, 2 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 1 in Azad Kashmir.

The bulletin's note for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lists measles, mumps, pertussis and diphtheria among the diseases that rose there, even though the national mumps and pertussis totals fell. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 178 of the 302 mumps cases.

Two free measles doses, at 9 and 15 months

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation gives the measles-rubella vaccine free at every government health centre, the first dose at 9 months and the second at 15 months. The World Health Organization (WHO) says two doses are needed for full protection, and that measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world, so one unvaccinated child in a class can start an outbreak.

A child who missed a dose can get it late. The full list of free vaccines from birth is in the EPI vaccination schedule. How to read the card and where to get a missed dose is in the guide on how to check your child's measles doses.

What to do if your child has fever and rash

Measles starts with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, and the rash follows three to five days later, starting on the face. These steps are ours, built on the WHO fact sheet.

1. Keep the child home and away from babies, pregnant women and anyone with a weak immune system.
2. See a doctor the same day. Measles has no specific cure, but vitamin A and treatment of complications reduce harm.
3. Give fluids and paracetamol for fever. Do not give aspirin to a child.
4. Go to hospital at once for breathing trouble, a very drowsy child, fits, or no urine for eight hours.
5. Check the vaccine cards of every other child in the house and get any missed dose now.

Common questions about the week 39 measles figures

How many measles cases did Pakistan report in week 39 of 2026?

355 suspected cases, up from 317 in week 38, according to the NIH bulletin published on 16 October 2026. Punjab is not included.

Which province had the most cases?

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with 266 of the 355. Its lab also confirmed 123 of 239 samples.

How many cases were confirmed by a lab?

184 of 440 samples tested across seven regions, a positive rate of 42 per cent.

When does a child get the measles vaccine?

At 9 months and again at 15 months, free at government health centres under the EPI schedule. A missed dose can be given late.

Did mumps and whooping cough also rise?

No. Suspected mumps fell from 332 to 302 and whooping cough from 58 to 36, though both rose within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

How we verified this

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

Last checked 19 October 2026. All case counts and lab results come from Table 1 and Table 5 of the NIH Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response bulletins for weeks 38 and 39 of 2026, listed on the NIH weekly bulletin page. The week 39 PDF carries a server date of 16 October 2026. The lab totals, percentages and changes are our own arithmetic. Vaccine and symptom facts are from the WHO measles fact sheet and the EPI schedule we read for our vaccination guide. We could not verify why Punjab sends no case count, or the exact dates of the reporting week.