US risks losing measles elimination status
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Al Jazeera
International experts are examining in Washington whether the US, Mexico and Guatemala can retain their measles elimination status. The regional commission is due to issue its assessment on Friday, as a resurgence of the disease threatens this status, according to Al Jazeera.
The United States risks losing its measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000, as an expert commission examines the epidemiological situation in the Americas this week, according to Al Jazeera. Mexico, Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia are also at risk of losing the status.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Regional Monitoring and Reverification Commission began its annual conference in Washington on Tuesday to examine reports from the organisation’s 35 member states. The meeting is due to end on Friday and covers epidemiological data from 2025 and the first half of 2026, Al Jazeera reports.
Between January and October 2026, 57,666 confirmed measles cases were recorded in 17 countries and territories in the Americas, according to PAHO, cited by Al Jazeera. The United States has experienced prolonged transmission outbreaks since January 2025, while Mexico is also reporting persistent transmission.
