Mexican flag. Photo by Roger Ce on Pexels.com
Health authorities in Mexico on Wednesday confirmed 28 deaths and more than 9,000 measles infections since the outbreak began in 2025.
The country leads the Americas in measles cases due to low vaccination coverage, officials said.
The first reported case occurred in February 2025 in Chihuahua, a northwestern border state that later recorded over 4,000 cases by August.
Fatalities have been reported across seven states, including 21 in Chihuahua, two in Jalisco, and one each in Sonora, Durango, Michoacan, Tlaxcala, and Mexico City.
On Feb. 4, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert for the Americas, noting new outbreaks in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, with concerns over continued transmission into 2026.
Authorities highlighted the upcoming FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, the US, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, urging stronger vaccination campaigns to protect the three million expected visitors.
Mexico’s Secretary of Health, David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz, said most infections occurred among unvaccinated individuals, citing a decline in vaccination rates over the past two decades, which worsened during the 2019 administration due to reduced public spending and delays in vaccine procurement.
The government plans to distribute up to 28 million additional measles vaccine doses to curb the outbreak, supplementing the 14.3 million doses already administered.
