Guatemala confronts measles resurgence as vaccination drive cuts cases by 80%

Health officials in Guatemala warned that up to 4.7 million people remain at risk from a measles resurgence that has already claimed 28 lives, most of them children with pneumonia complications. The outbreak, driven by gaps in immunity, high contagion and factors such as malnutrition, prompted a national vaccination response.

President Bernardo Arévalo reported that more than 1.4 million measles vaccine doses have been administered, and the country still holds over a million additional doses. The campaign has led to a sharp decline in cases, with an estimated 80 % drop in weekly incidence and a noticeable decrease of infections in schools across the capital region, Sololá and Izabal. Authorities say the second phase of containment is stabilising epidemiological indicators after a large religious gathering in December 2025 triggered the surge.