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Colombian health officials are investigating four suspected cases of measles, all involving individuals with a history of international travel. One case has already been ruled out by laboratory testing, while analysis continues on the remaining three.
The announcement comes as measles cases are increasing globally and within the Americas. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 247,623 cases were confirmed in 179 countries in 2023. In the Americas, 14,891 cases were reported, a figure 32 times higher than in 2022. With major global events, such as the FIFA World Cup, on the calendar, medical professionals and epidemiologists had already warned of the risk of reintroducing the disease into the country.
Puede ver: How measles is transmitted, who should get vaccinated, and other questions about the disease
The Ministry of Health stated that this situation requires action to protect the progress made in eliminating the disease. The Ministry issued Circular 004 of 2026 with national guidelines to strengthen vaccination efforts, intensify epidemiological surveillance, and prevent the importation of cases into the country. The country maintains a free supply of the triple viral vaccine (measles, rubella, and mumps) and the bivalent SR vaccine at more than 3,000 vaccination points.
The circular also strengthens epidemiological surveillance and the health system’s response capacity. Measures include reinforcing controls at airports, ports, and land borders to identify individuals with symptoms consistent with measles (fever and rash) to enable timely diagnosis and isolation of suspected cases.
care pathways have been activated in healthcare providers (HCPs) to prioritize patients with fever and rash in emergency departments and outpatient clinics, who should report any travel within the last 21 days. Strict protocols will also be implemented to prevent in-hospital transmission and avoid the spread of the virus within healthcare facilities. The Ministry of Health reiterated its call for parents, caregivers, travelers, and healthcare personnel to verify and complete their vaccination schedules and seek prompt medical attention if they experience symptoms consistent with measles. Maintaining high coverage rates, the Ministry emphasized, is key to protecting collective health and preserving the country’s health status.
Who Should Get Vaccinated?
As previously reported recently, and given the current international emergency, it is essential for everyone to review their vaccination records and verify they have received the required doses against measles. If the vaccination schedule is incomplete or there is uncertainty about their vaccination history, the recommendation is to visit a vaccination point to receive the appropriate dose.
Official recommendations are:
– Children between 6 and 11 months: should receive a “zero dose” if traveling to host countries or living in prioritized municipalities, and complete the schedule at 12 and 18 months.
– Children between 1 and 10 years: should have two doses of triple viral vaccine.
-Population between 6 and 16 years: should receive an additional dose of SR if they did not participate in the 2020–2021 campaign.
-Travelers between 11 and 59 years without verifiable vaccination history: one dose at least 15 days before travel.
-Healthcare personnel: HCPs should verify schedules and administer additional doses when necessary.
-Contacts of suspected cases under 60 years of age or with uncertain history.
-People linked to tourism, hospitality, and international transport.
The measles vaccine is safe and effective. The World Health Organization estimates that, over the past 50 years, vaccination has saved 94 million lives, most of them children. It is also one of the most cost-effective public health interventions: immunizing a child costs less than one dollar.
It is not related to autism (a hypothesis that was dismissed more than two decades ago and whose original study was retracted due to fraud) or developmental disorders. Like any vaccine, it can cause mild and transient effects, such as fever or redness at the injection site, but serious adverse events are extremely rare, according to health organizations such as the PAHO. Given a highly contagious and potentially serious disease, the evidence supports vaccination as the best form of individual and collective protection.
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