Panama reports 58 influenza deaths in 2026

Panama's Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports that 58 deaths due to influenza have been recorded so far in 2026. According to the epidemiological report for the week of July 12 to 18, a new death was confirmed and another was updated from a previous week.

Health authorities highlighted a concerning trend regarding vaccination status: 100% of the deceased individuals had not received the influenza vaccine for the current season, and 82% had not received the 2025 vaccine. The majority of those who died were elderly, with 60.3% being aged 65 or older, while infants under one year old accounted for 11.1% of deaths.

Most fatalities presented risk factors such as advanced age and metabolic, cardiovascular, or renal diseases. Additionally, the country has seen a high volume of respiratory illnesses, with 24,372 cumulative cases of flu-like syndrome and 10,619 cases of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) reported this year. Minsa is urging the population, particularly high-risk groups, to visit vaccination centers.