Mexico Health
Key Facts
·Who. Mexico’s Health Ministry counts 20,552 confirmed measles cases and 50 deaths since February 2025.
·Where. Jalisco, the state around Guadalajara, leads 2026 with 7,394 cases; Chihuahua, a northern state, has 21 deaths.
·When. The count runs to 10 November 2026; no deaths have been reported since 29 September.
·Why. The Pan American Health Organization, a regional health body, reviews Mexico’s measles-elimination status in November.
·Power Index. Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 70.8 points (November 2026 edition).
·As of 12 November 2026, 03:00 GMT
Mexico’s measles outbreak has infected more than 20,000 people and killed 50 since it began in February 2025, according to the Mexican Health Ministry’s (Secretaría de Salud) latest count, which runs to 10 November 2026. The tally stands at 20,552 confirmed cases, and no deaths have been reported since 29 September in that count.
For US readers the outbreak is next door, and the United States has its own. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counted 5,182 confirmed US cases in 2026 as of 5 November.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional arm of the World Health Organization, said in March that it would review measles-elimination status, the official label that a country has stopped home-grown spread, in November 2026. Its Regional Verification Commission, a panel of independent experts, is meeting from 10 to 13 November in a closed session.
Where the Outbreak Hits Hardest
Jalisco, the western state around Guadalajara, has recorded 7,394 cases in 2026, the most of any state. Chiapas, in the south (1,058 cases), Mexico City (1,033) and Durango, in the north-west (737), follow.
Of the 50 deaths since February 2025, 21 were in Chihuahua and 8 in Zacatecas, and the deaths span 12 states. Chihuahua borders the US states of Texas and New Mexico.
Over 21 months, measles has reached 531 municipalities in all 32 states. Of the total, 13,938 cases were confirmed in 2026.
What the Regional Health Body Reports
PAHO’s situation report of 6 November, which uses data to 31 October, counted 13,761 confirmed measles cases in Mexico in 2026 and 23 deaths in Mexico this year. That is close to the Mexican count of 13,938 cases in 2026 as of 10 November.
PAHO treats measles as endemic again when one strain circulates without a break for 12 months or more, and Mexico’s outbreak has now run for 21. The commission recommends and the PAHO Director decides, and PAHO has given no date for its final report.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
The CDC advises travellers to talk to a healthcare provider about measles vaccination, especially before international trips. Cases are concentrated in Jalisco, home to Guadalajara, a popular stop for American visitors, but they have been recorded in every state.
None of the official economic figures we track for Mexico bears on this story, so we do not force one in. Our guide to Guadalajara and our Mexico page give wider context, and our travel safety guide for Morelos shows how we cover trips to the country.
What Is Not Known
We could not open the Health Ministry’s own bulletin, so the 10 November figures are as reported in Mexican media. The decision on Mexico’s measles-elimination status is not yet public, and the date since which no deaths were reported also rests on media reports of the bulletin.
Whether new deaths will follow the 29 September pause is also open. The checkpoint is PAHO’s final report, for which no date is set.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people have died of measles in Mexico?
Fifty people have died since February 2025, as of 10 November 2026, with 21 of the deaths in Chihuahua. No deaths have been reported since 29 September.
Is measles a risk for US travellers to Mexico?
The CDC says travellers should discuss measles vaccination with a healthcare provider before international trips. Cases are concentrated in Jalisco but have been recorded in all 32 states.
What is measles-elimination status?
It is the official label that a country has stopped home-grown spread of measles. Mexico’s outbreak has run for 21 months, which puts the status under review.
Sources
Mexican Health Ministry, daily measles count as of 10 November 2026 (figures as reported, bulletin not opened); Pan American Health Organization, measles situation report 15, 6 November 2026; Pan American Health Organization, update on the review of measles-elimination status, 2 March 2026; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles cases and outbreaks page, 5 November 2026. Photo: Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error