PAHO assesses risk of measles spread

(Kaieteur News) – With several religious mass gatherings in South America expected to increase national and international travel across the Americas in the coming months, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging countries to strengthen vaccination, surveillance and rapid response measures as the risk of measles spread across the Region remains very high.

The warning comes in a new PAHO regional risk assessment released amid ongoing outbreaks, persistent gaps in vaccination coverage and the detection of measles cases in new geographic areas.

The assessment updates PAHO’s regional evaluation of 5 August 2026, with a specific focus on risks associated with upcoming religious mass gatherings in South America and their potential implications for the Region of the Americas.