A measles outbreak in the Mexican state of Jalisco has prompted a health alert and the mandatory use of face masks in schools, with authorities taking urgent action as the region gears up to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The measures, announced on Thursday, come in response to a surge in cases in the state capital, Guadalajara, which is a key venue for the upcoming soccer tournament.
Epidemiological Alert and Regional Impact
The alert follows an epidemiological warning issued earlier this week by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regarding the spread of measles across the Americas. Mexico leads the region with 1,981 confirmed cases this year and over 5,200 suspected cases, highlighting a significant public health challenge. Jalisco is at the epicenter of this outbreak, with 1,163 confirmed cases and 2,092 suspected cases reported by the government.
Origins and Spread of the Outbreak
The measles outbreak in Mexico began last year in the northern state of Chihuahua, after a Mennonite child fell ill while visiting relatives in Texas during an outbreak there. Cases quickly spread within Mennonite communities, which have high rates of vaccine hesitancy, and have since rippled out across Mexico, marking the country's largest measles outbreak in decades. Scientists attribute the rising outbreaks across the hemisphere to declining vaccination rates, underscoring the importance of immunization efforts.
Public Health Measures in Jalisco
Jalisco health authorities have mandated that masks be required in Guadalajara schools across seven specific neighborhoods for the next 30 days. This move makes Jalisco the first Mexican state to implement such measures since the COVID-19 pandemic, following urgent calls from medical groups for action. Additionally, classes were recently suspended in 15 schools in Jalisco and the central state of Aguascalientes due to outbreaks of the highly contagious airborne virus.
World Cup Preparations and International Concerns
The outbreak poses a challenge as Mexico prepares to welcome visitors from around the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Guadalajara is one of the main venues in Mexico for the tournament, raising concerns about public health safety during the event. Canada lost its measles-free status in November, and both the U.S. and Mexico risk meeting the same fate. Both governments have requested a two-month extension to control the outbreak, although the U.S. withdrew from the World Health Organization in January, which oversees PAHO.
Regional Statistics and Vaccination Efforts
In a statement on Wednesday, PAHO reported that in the first three weeks of this year, 1,031 additional measles cases were confirmed in seven countries in the Americas, with no deaths reported. This figure is 43 times higher than that recorded in the same period last year, indicating a rapid spread of the disease. In response, the Mexican government has spent weeks encouraging the population to get vaccinated against measles, which is preventable with two doses of the vaccine. Authorities have announced the launch of vaccination sites in high-traffic areas such as airports and bus stations to boost immunization rates.
