Mexico May Be on Brink of Losing Its Measles-Free Status

Mexico faces a high-stakes review of its measles-free status after confirmed cases surpassed 9,000 since the start of last year and the virus was reported in all 32 states. A panel of independent experts convened by the Pan American Health Organization will meet on April 13 to decide whether the certification, held for three decades, should be revoked.

The timing has drawn attention because Mexico, Canada and the United States are co-hosting this year’s World Cup, with public health officials warning that large gatherings could accelerate spread. The current outbreak began in early 2025 when a 9-year-old boy from a Mennonite community returned from Texas and the virus spread to seasonal agricultural workers before reaching remote Indigenous populations.

Victoria Pando Robles warned that visitors who are unvaccinated “are going to find thousands of people susceptible to the disease. And then those numbers become significant.

Mexico

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