Guatemala is experiencing a massive measles outbreak in 2026, with 23,425 total cases (7,075 laboratory-confirmed and 16,350 clinically suspected) and 22 recorded deaths reported since January and through June 16.
Out of the 22 recorded deaths, 16 were children under the age of seven.
The country remains under a nationwide Institutional Red Alert as health authorities deploy mass vaccination campaigns to contain the virus.
The outbreak began on January 9, 2026, stemming from a mass religious gathering of over 2,000 international attendees in Santiago Atitlán, Sololá, in mid-December 2025.
Transmission is impacting both adults and children. Over 58% of the infected population consists of adults aged 15–39. However, the highest incidence and mortality rates are striking infants under one year old who are too young to receive routine vaccinations.