Mariana Romero Roy
Measles is making an alarming comeback across Latin America. Numbers have risen so much in recent months that the Pan American Health Organization has issued an epidemiological alert. Here’s a quick look at the numbers across the region:
2025 Measles Outbreak in the Americas
- 14,891 confirmed cases
- 29 deaths
- 13 countries affected
- 6,428 cases in Mexico
- 24 deaths in Mexico
- 5,436 cases in Canada
- 2,242 cases in the U.S. [1]
As you can see from the numbers above, the outbreak has primarily affected Mexico in Latin America, with smaller numbers across the region’s other countries. In fact, most of the other countries impacted in Latin America have just double- or single-digit numbers of cases as of February 2026. After Mexico, Bolivia has the most in the region at 597, followed by Paraguay (49), Belize (44), Brazil (38), Argentina (36), Uruguay (13), Peru (5) and Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala at just one case. [1]
In particular, the Mexican state of Jalisco, which includes the city of Guadalajara, is perceived as the epicenter of the outbreak. This has led the state of Jalisco to issue a health alert. It’s a major concern to local officials and before the city serves as a host for the 2026 World Cup in a few months. [2]
Reasons for the Outbreak
When you look at the numbers related to vaccination rates across Latin America, it paints a picture of how an outbreak like this could occur. According to UNICEF, Latin America has gone from having one of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the world to one of the lowest from 2013 to 2023. The result is that one in four children in the region are not protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, and the majority of those children have had zero vaccines. [3]
The numbers on the latest measles outbreak seem to reflect this trend. PAHO estimates that about 89% of the recent measles cases are in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. [4] Currently, the PAHO estimates that around 89% of people in the region have received their first MMR vaccine, while 76-79% of people have received a second dose. This is below the 95% vaccination rate recommended to prevent an outbreak. [5]
How the Medical Community Is Responding
As the number of measles cases continues to rise, the region is reacting accordingly. Public health officials are doing their best to raise awareness around the importance of vaccines. Meanwhile, hospital administrators are quietly scrambling to prepare for a surge in highly contagious pediatric and adult patients. [1]
Impact on MedTech & Other Suppliers
In the face of a potential outbreak of a highly infectious disease, hospitals and medical centers must shift their procurement priorities. This is already occurring in the state of Jalisco in Mexico, but these shifts may increase elsewhere in the region if measles continues to spread. Hospital budgets may begin to pivot from elective care to infection control and critical respiratory support.
This is already occurring in the hardest hit areas of Mexico, where mass vaccination and vaccine awareness campaigns sponsored by public health officials are underway. Currently, the PAHO is recommending the following strategies:
- Elevate measles vaccination rates to above 95%
- Implement mass vaccination campaigns in high-risk areas
- Contain outbreaks quickly with rapid response systems
- Detect and confirm measles cases quickly
- Educate at-risk communities on the importance of vaccines and directly address vaccine hesitancy [5]
Other Needs Beyond Vaccines
Of course, hospital and medical center needs in the face of a measles outbreak extend beyond vaccine doses. They may also require specialized syringes or cold-chain transport to obtain and administer these vaccines. [6]
Regions hardest hit by a measles outbreak will require airborne PPE supplies to keep themselves safe when treating a highly infectious disease. This includes N95 respirators, face shields and isolation gowns, among other supplies and equipment. Hospitals and medical centers in the hardest-hit areas may even consider upgrades such as airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs), portable HEPA filtration systems and UV decontamination units to prevent cross-contamination in waiting rooms. [6]
Severe measles can sometimes lead to complications in patients. This can include pneumonia, which is the most common cause of measles-related death in young children. [7] As measles spreads and complications arise, this could also put a strain on pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), driving demand for pediatric ventilators, oxygen therapy devices, and continuous patient monitors. [8]
Key Takeaways for Health Care Companies
If there’s any good news about the current measles outbreak in Latin America, it’s that it seems to be primarily affecting only one country in large numbers (Mexico) and one country in moderate numbers (Bolivia), with cases limited to single or double digits in nine other Latin American nations. Still, medical suppliers can be prepared by having vaccine doses, syringes and PPE supplies at the ready for Mexico and other countries that might need them in the weeks and months ahead. [1]
Infectious disease outbreaks create highly localized, rapid purchasing cycles. Those who can identify which regions are expanding their isolation and respiratory capacities can position themselves well to meet this sudden demand. [1]
Having your company ready to meet the moment with agility not only is productive for your company’s bottom line, but it also creates a positive culture and good will knowing that you were there to help the region combat and endure a deadly disease outbreak. Put simply, lives can potentially be saved based on your company’s ability to provide supplies in a timely fashion. [1]
Next Steps
Contact GHI to learn more about the current state of health care and diseases across Latin America, and how you can adjust your company’s strategy to help prevent and control these concerns. Our team of researchers can provide the analysis you need to gain valuable insights to support strategic decision-making in your industry.
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Sources:
- https://www.paho.org/en/news/4-2-2026-paho-issues-epidemiological-alert-amid-continued-measles-transmission-americas-and
- https://fox8.com/news/health/ap-health/ap-measles-outbreak-in-mexico-prompts-health-alert-in-world-cup-host-jalisco/
- https://www.unicef.org/lac/en/press-releases/latin-america-and-caribbean-records-worlds-biggest-drop-childhood-vaccination-over-past-decade
- https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/measles-surge-continues-americas-outbreaks-10-nations
- https://www.paho.org/en/news/15-8-2025-ten-countries-americas-report-measles-outbreaks-2025#:~:text=PAHO%20response%20and%20recommendations,literacy%20and%20address%20vaccine%20hesitancy.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4400300/#:~:text=Such%20arrangement%20requires%20ancillary%20laboratory,and%20clinicians%20entering%20the%20ward.
- https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/measles/media/pdfs/2025/05/hcp-caring-for-patients-measles-fact-sheet.pdf
