Americas at risk of losing measles elimination status, U.N. agency warns

Measles outbreaks across North America are threatening the region's status of having officially eliminated the virus, officials from the Pan-American Health Organization warned, potentially undoing a hard-fought victory to wipe out community transmission.

The U.N. agency pointed to a 4.5-times increase in reported measles cases this year across North and South America, compared to the same period last year.

More than 97% of cases across the region so far this year have been in the U.S. or Canada. Cases have also been reported in Mexico and Argentina.