(Reuters) -The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported on Friday an increase in measles cases in the Americas, particularly North America, amid rising deaths from the infection in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The outbreaks are related to low vaccination coverage, the U.N. agency said, as 71% of cases occurred in unvaccinated people and 18% in individuals with unknown vaccination status.

BY THE NUMBERS

As of August 8, 10,139 cases of measles and 18 related deaths had been confirmed from among 10 countries in the Americas, representing a 34-fold increase compared to the same period in 2024, PAHO figures showed.

Of those 18 deaths, 14 were in Mexico, three in the United States and one in Canada.

Most of the deaths in Mexico occurred in Indigenous peo

See Full Page