Measles outbreak worsens in North America, 18 dead so far this year, PAHO says

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(Reuters) -The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported on Friday an increase in measles cases in the Americas, particularly North America, amid rising deaths from the infection in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The outbreaks are related to low vaccination coverage, the U.N. agency said, as 71% of cases occurred in unvaccinated people and 18% in individuals with unknown vaccination status.

BY THE NUMBERS

As of August 8, 10,139 cases of measles and 18 related deaths had been confirmed from among 10 countries in the Americas, representing a 34-fold increase compared to the same period in 2024, PAHO figures showed.

Of those 18 deaths, 14 were in Mexico, three in the United States and one in Canada.

Most of the deaths in Mexico occurred in Indigenous people between 1 and 54 years old, PAHO said.

KEY QUOTES

“Measles is preventable with two doses of a vaccine, which is proven to be very safe and effective. To stop these outbreaks, countries must urgently strengthen routine immunization and conduct targeted vaccination campaigns in high-risk communities,” said Daniel Salas, responsible for immunization at PAHO.

CONTEXT

Measles is highly contagious and spreads rapidly among unvaccinated people, especially children, according to PAHO.

In the U.S., a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that vaccination rates for several diseases including measles, diphtheria and polio decreased among U.S. kindergartners in the 2024-25 school year from the year before.

(Reporting by Benjamín Mejías Valencia; editing by Philippa Fletcher)