Measles outbreak prompts health alert in World Cup host Jalisco, Mexico

The Mexican state of Jalisco has implemented a health alert and mandated face masks in schools as a measles outbreak intensifies in Guadalajara, one of the key host cities for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The announcement on Thursday marks the first such public health mandate in Mexico since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures follow an epidemiological alert issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) earlier this week concerning the spread of measles across the Americas. Mexico currently leads the region with 1,981 confirmed cases this year and more than 5,200 suspected cases, according to government data.

Jalisco has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, reporting 1,163 confirmed and 2,092 suspected cases this year alone. The mask mandate will apply to schools across seven specific neighborhoods in Guadalajara for the next 30 days, as medical groups urged local authorities to take urgent action.

The current outbreak began last year in Mexico’s northern state of Chihuahua after a Mennonite child contracted the disease while visiting relatives in Texas. The virus initially spread rapidly through Mennonite communities, which have historically shown high rates of vaccine hesitancy, before expanding across the country in what health officials describe as Mexico’s largest measles outbreak in decades.

Public health experts warn that declining vaccination rates across the hemisphere are driving the resurgence of this preventable disease. Mauricio Rodríguez, a microbiology professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico specializing in epidemics, noted that cases have spiked in Mexico because many communities lack complete immunization against measles.

This situation poses particular concerns as the United States, Mexico, and Canada—all experiencing rising measles cases—prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “With the World Cup, many people are going to be visiting from outside Mexico, and that represents a risk of introducing even more outbreaks from other places,” Rodríguez explained.

The timing of the outbreak creates a unique public health challenge for Guadalajara, which will serve as one of Mexico’s main venues for the international soccer tournament. Authorities have responded by not only implementing mask mandates but also temporarily suspending classes in 15 schools across Jalisco and the central state of Aguascalientes due to outbreaks.

On Thursday, students and teachers in areas surrounding Guadalajara arrived at schools wearing masks, while vaccination centers established in local government buildings experienced long lines. Among those waiting for immunizations was Ángel Ivan Soto Mendez, who said his family had already prepared their children to attend school with masks and disinfectants. “If everyone doesn’t get vaccinated, there are going to be infections everywhere,” he remarked.

The regional impact extends beyond Mexico. Canada lost its measles-free status in November, and both the U.S. and Mexico risk facing similar designations. Both governments have requested two-month extensions to control their outbreaks, although complications exist since the Trump administration withdrew from the World Health Organization in January.

According to PAHO, the first three weeks of this year saw 1,031 additional measles cases confirmed across seven countries in the Americas—a figure 43 times higher than during the same period last year. While no deaths have been reported, the rapid spread has alarmed public health officials throughout the region.

The Mexican government has launched an aggressive vaccination campaign, establishing immunization sites at strategic locations including airports and bus stations. Health authorities continue to emphasize that measles is entirely preventable with two doses of the vaccine.

As Jalisco implements these emergency measures, the effectiveness of the response will be closely watched, particularly as the region prepares for the influx of international visitors expected for the World Cup in 2026.