Why Measles Is Making a Comeback in North America

The Americas are witnessing a worrying resurgence of measles, with cases surging sharply through 2025 and early 2026, prompting an urgent warning from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

In a recent epidemiological alert, the UN agency stressed that the region recorded over 1,000 confirmed cases in just the first three weeks of 2026, following nearly 15,000 cases in 2025. The organisation called this trend a serious warning sign that demands immediate and coordinated action.

North America at the Centre of the Crisis

The worst outbreaks have been reported in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, where infections remain alarmingly high.

In the US alone, more than 2,200 cases were reported in 2025, with hundreds more emerging in early 2026.

Major outbreaks in South Carolina and Texas have led to hospitalisations and deaths among unvaccinated children.

Mexico has recorded the highest regional numbers, with over 6,400 cases in 2025 and hundreds more in early 2026. Canada, meanwhile, has already lost its measles elimination status after multiple outbreaks.

A Highly Contagious Threat

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, capable of infecting up to nine in ten unvaccinated people exposed to the virus. While many recover, children face serious risks including pneumonia, brain swelling, and long-term neurological damage.

Vaccination Gaps Fuel Resurgence

Health experts agree that vaccination remains the only reliable defence. The MMR vaccine, administered in two doses during early childhood, offers lifelong protection.

However, declining coverage in several countries has left communities vulnerable.

In the United States, misinformation and unfounded safety concerns have contributed to falling immunisation rates. Authorities and medical organisations have repeatedly stressed that the vaccine is far safer than contracting measles itself.

Threat to Elimination Status

The Americas had once been declared measles-free, with the US achieving elimination in 2000 and the region in 2016. Persistent outbreaks now threaten to reverse decades of public health progress. PAHO is set to review the elimination status of the US and Mexico in April.

Call for urgent action

PAHO has urged governments to strengthen routine immunisation, improve disease surveillance, and counter misinformation. Without sustained high vaccination coverage, experts warn that measles could regain a permanent foothold in the region.

(With inputs from ANI)