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A major UN agency has issued an alert warning of a dramatic resurgence of measles across the Americas.

Getting into it: In a statement released this week, the Pan American Health Organization, the UN’s regional health agency, warned that measles cases are rising rapidly across the Americas. The agency issued an epidemiological alert urging governments to strengthen “disease surveillance, expand vaccination campaigns,” and ensure rapid responses to suspected cases.

According to the agency, measles cases surged to 14,891 confirmed infections and 29 deaths across 13 countries in 2025, representing a 32-fold increase compared with 2024. That trend has continued into early 2026, with 1,031 additional cases recorded in just the first three weeks of the year, more than 40 times higher than during the same period last year.

The most heavily impacted countries include Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Mexico recorded 6,428 cases and 24 deaths in 2025, followed by Canada with 5,436 cases and two deaths, and the US with 2,242 cases and three deaths. Smaller but significant outbreaks were also reported across South and Central America. Infants under one year of age have experienced the highest incidence rates, followed by young children.

The alert also comes after recent measles outbreaks in an ICE detention facility. In Texas, two confirmed cases led to quarantines and halted movement within a large family detention center, while additional cases were reported among detainees in Arizona.