“The resurgence of measles is mainly due to persistent gaps in vaccination coverage that have accumulated in recent years.”
Photo: Secretary of Health
Measles, a disease that the Americas had successfully eliminated less than a decade ago, is raising health alerts once again. Confirmed cases in the region of the Americas multiplied in 2025, and the first few weeks of 2026 demonstrate a concerning trend for health authorities. In Colombia, officials are working to confirm the first imported case.
What’s happening? Is this isolated outbreaks, or a deeper shift in the disease’s dynamics? What role do declining vaccination rates play in…
Health officials are closely monitoring a resurgence of measles in the Americas, with the first imported case of the year recently detected in Bogotá, Colombia on February 20, 2026. This development underscores the ongoing challenges of maintaining disease elimination in the face of global health trends.
The case, identified in a traveler arriving from Mexico, was confirmed through PCR testing at the Bogotá Public Health Laboratory, which has its own molecular diagnostic capacity for measles. The sample was initially taken on February 15 and confirmed on February 19, with subsequent validation by the National Institute of Health.
Gerson Bermont, Secretary of Health for the capital city, stated that Bogotá is the only territorial entity in the country with “its own molecular diagnostic capacity for measles.” He assured the public that the patient is currently isolated and there is no evidence of local transmission.
“The surveillance system in Bogotá works,” Bermont said, adding that after identifying the case, “we immediately isolated [the patient] and activated the epidemiological fence to cut off any possible chain of transmission. Today we have no evidence of local contagion.”
Health authorities immediately activated strict protocols, including field epidemiological investigations, contact tracing, active case finding, and vaccination coverage verification. The patient is receiving care at home, with ongoing monitoring by city health teams.
This case comes after the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) set goals to eradicate measles by 2000 and eliminate rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2010, as outlined in guidelines established in 1994 and 2003. Colombia had previously maintained its certification as a measles-free country, a status reaffirmed by PAHO for five consecutive years through November 2025, as reported by the Ministry of Health. The recent imported case highlights the importance of continued vigilance and robust public health infrastructure to prevent the re-establishment of measles within the country.
The re-emergence of measles is largely attributed to persistent gaps in vaccination coverage, a trend that has been building in recent years. This situation underscores the critical role of vaccination in protecting individuals and communities from preventable diseases.
