Measles outbreak spreads to all 32 Mexican states, kills 24

Mexico’s Ministry of Health reported Monday that measles has spread to all 31 states and Mexico City, with 7,131 confirmed cases and 24 deaths in the past 12 months, despite an aggressive vaccination campaign that delivered over 11.8 million doses.

Health authorities report 90 percent of cases occurred in unvaccinated people, with severe cases and deaths mainly among those with incomplete vaccinations, young children, and individuals with immune deficiencies or malnutrition.

Children ages 1 to 4 are most affected, with 1,089 cases, followed by 830 cases in those ages 5 to 9.

Chihuahua reports the most cases at 4,495, and 21 of 24 deaths. Jalisco has 1,020 cases and one death, followed by Chiapas (430 cases), Michoacán (261), and Guerrero (248).

The government announced it will strengthen vaccination efforts at high-traffic locations, including airports and bus terminals, to prevent new infections and enable early detection.

Regional outbreak traced to Texas

Mexico’s outbreak began in February 2025 after Chihuahua officials linked cases to a January outbreak in an undervaccinated Gaines County, West Texas community.

National Autonomous University of Mexico specialists warn that measles “is the most contagious disease there is, even surpassing COVID-19.” The Health Ministry notes that while only 5 percent of total cases remain active, authorities have also recorded 17,267 cases of febrile exanthematous diseases — illnesses causing fever and widespread skin rashes, including measles, rubella, roseola, scarlet fever and chickenpox — during the same period.

Americas lose measles-free status

In November, the Pan American Health Organization announced that the Americas had lost verification of their status as free of endemic measles transmission. Canada lost its measles-free status on Nov. 10, 2025, while Mexico and the United States received two-month extensions to contain their outbreaks.

Mexico faces a virtual review on April 13 to determine whether it will maintain its measles-free status. The country’s National Epidemiological Surveillance System continues to monitor the disease, enabling timely case detection, laboratory confirmation, and identification of circulating genotypes.

According to Scientific American, declining vaccination rates in the United States and Canada have helped entrench measles in those countries, with growing anti-vaccine messaging from the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is contributing to outbreaks there.

Health Minister David Kershenobich and President Claudia Sheinbaum discussed the government’s outbreak strategy at her Tuesday morning press conference.