Guatemala
Central American country bordering Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.
Guatemala recorded 6,209 measles cases in 2026 by mid-year, the second-highest total in the Americas behind Mexico, prompting a PAHO surveillance alert as the 2026 World Cup opened across its northern neighbour.
Last refreshed: 3 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Could Guatemala's measles surge seed new clusters via World Cup travel flows into Mexico?
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Pandemics and Biosecurity: Guatemala passes Mexico on measles casesBackground
Guatemala is a lower-middle-income country of roughly 18 million people in Central America, bordering Mexico to the north, Belize to the north-east, Honduras and El Salvador to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south-west. Its vaccination coverage has been under pressure from supply chain disruptions, community vaccine hesitancy and the logistical challenges of reaching rural and indigenous communities in the highlands.
Its measles surge trails only Mexico's
Guatemala recorded 6,209 measles cases in 2026 by mid-year, the second-highest total in the Americas behind Mexico's 10,920 and roughly four times the 2025 total for the region as a whole. The Pan American Health Organization issued a surveillance alert as the 2026 FIFA World Cup opened across the United States, Mexico and Canada, citing the elevated risk of imported cases in under-vaccinated communities near high-traffic tournament venues.
Guatemala's proximity to Mexico, which hosted World Cup matches, makes cross-border spread a specific preparedness concern. The vulnerable cohort is children WHO missed measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations during the 2020-21 coronavirus pandemic, not vaccinated visitors, since two doses provide near-complete protection.