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A health department worker administers a vaccine to a citizen as part of a measles vaccination campaign in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on April 16 (local time). / EPA, Yonhap

As measles spreading across Central America crosses borders into countries like Mexico and Peru, expanding across the Americas, national quarantine authorities have been placed on high alert, CNN en Español reported on August 11 (local time).

According to statistics released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on August 8, a total of 47,459 confirmed measles cases were reported across 16 countries and one territory in the Americas this year as of July 18. Among them, 44 deaths were reported in three countries.

Compared to last year, when 15,011 cases were recorded across 15 countries, the number of infections has more than tripled. Medical communities in Latin America note that the region is experiencing its worst outbreak in 20 years.

Looking at the country breakdown, 95% of the damage—including infections and deaths—was concentrated in four countries: Guatemala, Mexico, the U.S., and Peru. In Guatemala, the epicenter of the outbreak, 31,140 cases were confirmed through last month, resulting in 32 deaths.

Mexico suffered the next highest casualty toll. So far this year, the country has recorded 12,255 infections and 17 deaths. Cases and fatalities have been heavily concentrated in the capital, Mexico City, and the western state of Jalisco.

The virus continues to spread across the continent, with 2,260 cases reported in the U.S. and 1,277 in Peru.

PAHO officially declared measles eliminated in the Americas in September 2016, making it the first region in the world to be declared free of the disease.

Neglect in vaccination efforts is cited as a major factor behind the resurgence of measles in the Americas. According to Guatemala's Ministry of Public Health, 67% of confirmed measles patients had no record of vaccination.

"Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles," noted Marcelo Juan, an infectious disease specialist in Guatemala. "The worst outbreak occurred because health authorities and the public took vaccination lightly."

As measles spreads at a terrifying speed, Guatemala belatedly administered 1.81 million doses of measles vaccines. Under emergency measures by the health ministry, around 78,700 infants aged 6 to 11 months—designated as priority recipients—were also vaccinated.

                                                                                                          Son Young-sik