Jalisco, a state in Mexico, has enforced the use of face masks in schools and issued a health alert due to a measles outbreak in the state capital, a significant host city for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
These actions follow an epidemiological alert raised by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) earlier this week regarding the increasing spread of measles in the Americas. Mexico has reported the highest number of cases in the region, with 1,981 confirmed cases this year and over 5,200 suspected cases. Within Mexico, Jalisco is the focal point of the outbreak, with 1,163 confirmed cases and 2,092 suspected cases, as confirmed by the government.
The measles outbreak in Mexico originated last year in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, after a Mennonite child became ill during a visit to a region in Texas experiencing an outbreak. Subsequently, cases surged in Mennonite communities, known for high vaccine hesitancy, leading to a widespread outbreak across Mexico, the most significant in decades.
Experts warn of the increased risk of outbreaks during the World Cup due to declining vaccination rates in many regions. Mauricio Rodriguez, a microbiology professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, emphasized the lack of full immunization schedules against measles in several Mexican communities as a key factor driving the surge in cases, especially with the influx of visitors expected during the tournament.
To contain the outbreak, health authorities in Jalisco have mandated the use of masks in schools in specific neighborhoods in Guadalajara for the next 30 days. The local government took this step following urgent appeals from medical groups, marking the first such public health directive in Mexico since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Efforts to control the infection include the suspension of classes in 15 schools in Jalisco and Aguascalientes, as well as the setup of vaccination centers in government buildings for students and teachers to receive vaccinations. The Mexican government has been actively promoting measles vaccination, emphasizing its preventability through two vaccine doses. Vaccination sites have been established in various locations like airports and bus stations to facilitate access for the population.
The outbreak has prompted concerns in neighboring countries, with Canada losing its measles-free status and the U.S. and Mexico facing similar risks. Both countries have requested an extension to combat the outbreak. In the Americas, PAHO reported a significant increase in measles cases this year, underscoring the urgency of vaccination efforts to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus.