An international commission is convening this week to evaluate the status of measles elimination in countries across the Americas. The meeting, organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), will determine if the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and several other nations still meet the criteria for maintaining their measles-free designation. The review comes amid a resurgence of measles cases in the region, with the US experiencing its largest outbreak in nearly three decades. The commission, composed of experts in epidemiology, public health, and virology, will assess reports from all 35 PAHO member states, paying particular attention to those grappling with prolonged outbreaks. If the same measles virus strain continues to circulate uninterrupted for at least 12 months within a country or defined region, the nation could lose its elimination status. The commission's decision will be based on factors such as vaccination coverage, healthcare system performance, and response speed to outbreaks. The final determination is expected early next week. If the US loses its measles-free status, it would mark a significant step backward in public health efforts, according to experts.
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The meeting, known as the Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission (RVC), began on Tuesday and will conclude on Friday. The RVC is an independent panel of international experts who advise PAHO, a part of the World Health Organization, on countries that have successfully eliminated measles and rubella. In 2016, the Americas became the first region in the world to eliminate endemic measles transmission following decades of vaccination campaigns. For this year's review, the commission will examine epidemiological data from 2025 and the first half of 2026. Other countries at risk include Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, and Canada, which lost its status last November.
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The loss of measles-free status would not trigger immediate consequences but could be seen as a setback and an embarrassment for the affected countries. In Brazil, which experienced a similar predicament in 2019, regaining its measles-free designation was achieved through a strategic vaccination campaign. However, experts do not anticipate a similarly robust response from the US. Erica Schwartz, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that losing elimination status would not change the agency's approach to measles. Regardless of the outcome, public health systems will likely face increased pressure, as they will need to allocate resources towards identifying infections, tracing contacts, conducting laboratory tests, isolating patients, and organizing vaccination campaigns.