Chile boosts measles vigilance as vaccination coverage lags in Magallanes

Chile, which eliminated measles as an endemic disease in 1993, is monitoring a rise in cases across Latin America and several imported infections reported in 2026. The Ministry of Health has intensified epidemiological surveillance and is urging completion of vaccination schedules, especially for children and travelers. Alexandra Willeke, director of the School of Nursing at the University of La Serena, warned that measles is highly contagious and can cause severe complications, emphasizing that protection requires over 95% population coverage through the free, legally mandated MMR vaccine administered at 12 and 36 months.

In the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region, vaccination against respiratory illnesses remains below the national average, with an overall coverage of 68.56%, ranking second‑to‑last in the country. Coverage among people over 60 is only 50%, and 66% among patients with chronic conditions. Health officials have deployed mobile vaccination units and opened additional sites, including a point in the Zona Franca, to improve uptake.

Both developments highlight ongoing challenges in Chile’s public‑health system to maintain high immunisation rates and prevent the re‑introduction of vaccine‑preventable diseases.