PAN senator Laura Esquivel blamed the Morena party for measles deaths due to suspended vaccination campaigns. As of February 2026, Mexico reports around 9,000 confirmed cases and 28 deaths, mostly in children. Health authorities urge reinforcing vaccination to control the outbreak that began in Chihuahua in February 2025.
The measles outbreak in Mexico, which began in February 2025 in Chihuahua, has sparked political controversy. PAN senator Laura Esquivel stated in a press conference that the 28 recorded deaths, 17 of which are children under seven years old born during the Morena government—whom she called 'niños 4T'—are due to the party's negligence in vaccination. 'The return of measles is not a coincidence or accident; it is Morena's fault. It is the government's negligence that preferred to invest money in works for their cronies and derailing trains instead of buying vaccines,' Esquivel declared.
Meanwhile, IMSS director Zoé Robledo attributed the issue to the administrations of Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto for not administering second doses. Health Ministry data show 9,074 confirmed cases since January 2025, with 2,027 in 2026 and 223 probable. The most affected group is 1-4 years old, with 1,327 cases, followed by 5-9 years with 1,088. Deaths are concentrated in Chihuahua (21), Jalisco (2), and other states like Sonora, Durango, Michoacán, Tlaxcala, and Mexico City (1 each), including a 14-month-old baby in December 2025.
Seven states account for 85% of cases: Jalisco, Colima, Chiapas, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Tabasco, and CDMX. Health Secretary David Kershenobich noted that 90% of cases occurred in unvaccinated people and that 1.8 million doses were applied in Chihuahua to control the outbreak. President Claudia Sheinbaum called for calm, stating most of the population is protected, and prioritized vaccination for children from 6 months to 12 years, with 28 million vaccines available. Adults aged 10 to 49 without two doses can also vaccinate without a card. A government portal, dondemevacuno.salud.gob.mx, lists over 21,000 modules opening next Monday.
