Mexico launches vaccination campaign amid measles and whooping cough outbreak

The Mexican government began the first National Vaccination Week 2025 today, Saturday, April 26. with the goal of immunizing almost 2 million people in the face of the outbreak of preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough, with nearly 1,400 accumulated cases of both so far this year.

"Our goal is to vaccinate 1.8 million people this week, and it reflects our commitment to ensuring that every child, adolescent, and adult who requires protection receives it in a timely, free, and accessible manner," said the government's Secretary of Health , David Kershenobich , at the start of the vaccination campaign.

The campaign will provide free vaccinations throughout the country for the 14 basic immunization schedules available to control preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and human papillomavirus (HPV), among others.

This follows a cumulative total of 583 confirmed cases of measles , including the death of one adult, and 809 cases of whooping cough , with 48 deaths, according to the latest bulletin on the "Epidemiological Situation of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Mexico" for the first 16 weeks of the year.

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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned Thursday of an increase in vaccine -preventable diseases on the continent, with 2,313 cases of measles in six countries, compared to just 215 in the same period last year, as well as three deaths.

In Texas alone, a measles outbreak infected more than 620 people and killed two children, amid rising vaccine skepticism.

Given this situation, countries in the region plan to administer an estimated 66 million vaccine doses during the current vaccination week in the Americas, including 2.7 million measles doses, said José Moya Medina, PAHO representative in Mexico.

"Vaccines save lives, and there is sufficient evidence to confirm that over the last 50 years, vaccines have prevented the deaths of 154 million people worldwide," she declared at the event, which also included the participation of Clara Brugada, Mayor of Mexico City.

In Mexico, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the immunization of minors, as in 2021 Only 27.5% of one-year-old babies had a complete schedule and one-third of children aged one and two years received a four-vaccine schedule, according to the Mexican Association of Pharmaceutical Research Industries (AMIIF).

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