The region’s worst measles surge in over two decades is driven by low vaccine coverage and increased cross-border travel, prompting urgent calls for improved immunisation efforts and surveillance.
Latin America is confronting its worst measles surge in more than 20 years, with health officials warning that weak vaccine uptake and heavy cross-border travel have helped the virus spread. The Pan American Health Organization has said the public health risk remains “very high” and has urged countries to improve vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
By the end of August, the Americas had recorded more than 51,000 confirmed cases in 2026, according to figures cited by PAHO and Gavi. That is almost three times the number reported for all of 2025, when the region also lost its measles-free status. PAHO said case numbers have been concentrated in Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru, which together account for the vast majority of infections this year.
The outbreak has been driven largely by gaps in routine immunisation. PAHO says most countries and territories in the region still fall short of the 95 per cent coverage needed to stop measles spreading, while only about 85 per cent of the regional population has received the two doses of MMR vaccine. The organisation also says nearly three quarters of this year’s patients were unvaccinated, with vaccination status unknown in many of the rest.
Officials and researchers say international travel has made the problem harder to contain. Speaking to SciDev.Net, Daniel Salas of PAHO said measles “leaves no room for complacency”, while Bianca de Oliveira Cata Preta of the Federal University of Paraná said mass travel and large events had helped the virus move between countries. PAHO has linked the wider resurgence to increased global circulation of measles, and its February alert called on countries to intensify surveillance, vaccination and outbreak control.
In the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that the country had logged 3,471 confirmed cases and 39 outbreaks so far this year. PAHO’s regional situation reports show transmission has affected children most heavily, particularly those aged one to nine. Health experts say the pattern is a warning that imported cases can quickly become local outbreaks when immunity is too low.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
