WASHINGTON, DC - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging countries in the Americas, including the Caribbean, to take note of the increase cases of measles.
PAHO said it has since issued an epidemiological alert and that as of epidemiological week 8 of 2025, a total of 268 measles cases, including one death, have been confirmed in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
It said that this represents a significant increase compared to the same period in 2024, when 60 cases were reported during the first eight weeks of the year.
“Although the region was reverified as measles-free in 2024, measles remains a threat due to its continued circulation in other regions of the world, which increases the risk of importation through travelers, and the existence of unimmunized population groups that continue to be vulnerable,” PAHO said, noting that of the 268 confirmed cases so far this year, 69 per cent were in people older than five years of age.
Last year, 17,887 suspected cases of measles were reported in the region, of which 464 were confirmed, with a notable proportion of these in adolescents and young adults. Notably, 63 per cent of confirmed cases in 2024 had not been vaccinated, highlighting gaps in immunization coverage, PAHO said.
The UN heath agency said it is calling on the countries and territories of the Americas to urgently intensify their vaccination and epidemiological surveillance efforts, as well as to strengthen their rapid response capacity to contain and control outbreaks.
It said recommendations include intensifying vaccination campaigns, especially in high-risk areas, and improving surveillance to detect suspected cases of the disease in a timely manner.
It is also recommended that vaccination coverage with two doses of MMR (measles, rubella and mumps) vaccine be maintained above 95 er cent, reaching all populations, with particular emphasis on children and young adults, who constitute a significant portion of the cases.
PAHO said the risk of measles outbreaks is due in part to factors such as the global circulation of the virus, with more than 320,000 confirmed measles cases being reported last year.
World Health Organization (WHO) data shows low vaccination coverage, increased mobility of people in the region, and the similarity of measles symptoms to other diseases such as dengue, make it difficult to correctly identify cases.
PAHO recalls that the elimination of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome remains a public health priority for the region. To this end, it is essential that all countries work together to close immunity gaps and ensure that no one is left unprotected against this highly contagious and serious but vaccine-preventable disease.
The organization continues to monitor the situation and work closely with countries in the region to support their vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response efforts to prevent the spread and reintroduction of measles and protect the health of the entire population.
