Guatemala is facing one of the most extensive measles outbreaks in its recent history, with 26 deaths and 27,145 confirmed cases as of July 5, 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS).
The situation keeps the epidemiological alert active, even though new weekly infections show a downward trend, and positions vaccination as the main containment tool, according to official information shared by the MSPAS.
The impact of the outbreak is reflected in the magnitude of the health response. The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance reported that as of June 29, 1.5 million doses of measles vaccine had been administered. Of that total, 65,411 doses corresponded to girls and boys aged six to eleven months through an extraordinary campaign, 297,217 were allocated to the regular schedule for children aged twelve months to seven years, and 1.1 million were administered to people aged seven to under fifty years, including delayed schedules, risk groups, and contacts of confirmed cases.
This last figure includes the containment campaign implemented since May 11, detailed the MSPAS.
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Vaccination was consolidated as the main containment measure for the measles outbreak in Guatemala, with 1,469,740 doses administered as of June 29. (Ministry of Health Guatemala) (Ministry of Health Guatemala.
An update presented by the ministry clarified that the increase in the total number of cases is due to a reclassification of records that seeks to reflect the situation of the disease in the country more accurately. The health agency stressed that this adjustment does not mean a recent spike in the transmission of the virus, but rather an improvement in the classification of previously identified cases.
According to the official report, of the national total, 7,489 cases (27.6%) were confirmed by laboratory, 3,054 (11.3%) by epidemiological link, and 16,602 (61.2%) by clinical criteria. The case fatality rate remains at 0.10%, which is equivalent to one death for every thousand people diagnosed with measles.
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The most affected departments
The outbreak shows an uneven geographical distribution. The department of Guatemala records the highest burden with 10,248 cases, followed by Quetzaltenango (2,238), Quiché (2,183), Sololá (1,367), Izabal (1,199), and Totonicapán (1,016). This concentration in the central region has prompted the intensification of public health actions, especially in the areas with the highest incidence.
Health authorities have stressed that although the weekly infection curve is declining after the peak recorded in weeks 15 and 16 of the year, a single case is enough to maintain the circulation of the virus in the national territory. They insist that those who have not received the complete vaccination schedule remain at greater risk of contagion and serious complications.
Public Health clarified that the increase in measles cases in Guatemala was due to a reclassification of records and not a recent resurgence of the virus. (Ministry of Health Guatemala) (Ministry of Health Guatemala)
The epidemiological analysis indicates that people aged 15 to 39 account for more than half of the confirmed cases in the current outbreak. Children under one year of age remain the most vulnerable group, either because they have not reached the age required for immunization or because they have not completed the corresponding doses.
Departments with the most deaths
Regarding mortality, Quiché leads the list of departments with the most deaths associated with measles, with ten deaths. It is followed by Guatemala with five, Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán with three each, Sololá and Izabal with two per department, and Retalhuleu, Chimaltenango, and Sacatepéquez with one each. The National Health Commission has reviewed the 26 deaths; twenty-five are directly attributed to measles and one remains under investigation due to a lack of complete clinical information.
The official report identifies pneumonia as the most common complication among those who died, present in the majority of cases. Situations such as septic shock, respiratory difficulty, respiratory distress, encephalitis, urinary tract infections, and pregnancy-related complications were also documented. Among the factors that increased the risk of death were congenital heart disease, cerebral palsy, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, malnutrition, and high-risk pregnancies. People aged 15 to 39 accounted for more than half of the confirmed measles cases, while children under one year old remained the most vulnerable group. (Ministry of Health Guatemala) (Ministry of Health Guatemala)
According to the count, the majority of the deceased correspond to profiles that share characteristics such as not having completed the vaccination schedule, suffering from pre-existing conditions, being immunocompromised, or being pregnant women. In several cases, they were children too young to have accessed full immunization.
The persistence of the outbreak keeps the public health system of Guatemala on alert. The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance reiterated the importance of vaccination as the main barrier to prevent new cases and recommended that the population go to health centers to complete immunization schedules, especially in the most vulnerable groups.
