Measles incidence before and after supplementary vaccination activities--Lusaka, Zambia, 1996-2000.
Zambia is a sub-Saharan African country (2000 population: nine million) with approximately 10% of the population residing in the capital of Lusaka. In Zambia, measles is one of the five major causes of morbidity and mortality among children aged <5 years. During 1991-1999, the annual number of reported measles cases ranged from 1698 to 23,518. In August 1999, supplementary vaccination activities (SVAs) were conducted in Lusaka among children aged 9 months-4 years. This report summarizes measles incidence, measured by the number of patients presenting to selected medical facilities, before and after SVAs and suggests that substantial measles transmission continued despite this intervention. To improve measles control in Zambia, nationwide supplementary measles vaccination is planned for children aged 9 months-14 years in 2002.