PAHO calls to strengthen vaccination amid rising measles cases in the Americas

Summary: The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is asking countries to step up their vaccine efforts. Even though vaccination rates are getting better, measles cases are skyrocketing in the Americas. In just the first few months of 2026, there were over 15,300 cases, which is more than all of 2025 combined! PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa warns that measles is a highly contagious and serious disease, but the good news is that this setback can be fixed. During Vaccination Week in the Americas, countries plan to give out 90 million vaccine doses to help protect people, especially children who missed their shots.

For more details, see paho at paho.org/en/news/23-4-2026-paho-calls-strengthen-vaccination-amid-rising-measles-cases-americas (opens in new tab)