Cancun Travel Vaccines 2023

Cancun, Mexico Travel Vaccines 2023

When visiting Cancun, Mexico, health organizations suggest speaking with a healthcare provider about which diseases are of concern and vaccine options. As of September 2023, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom have published travel vaccine advice for Mexico. On June 22, 2023, the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office advised against all but essential travel to the states of Chihuahua,  Sinaloa,  Zacatecas,  Tamaulipas, and others.

Cancun Advisories U.S. CDC

As of August 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests reviewing specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers before visiting the Yucatán Peninsula.

Dengue: Dengue fever infections are a health risk in 28 of 32 states in Mexico. According to the Mexico IHR National Focal Point, up to EW 26 of 2023, there were over 31,000 reported dengue cases. The cases registered in 2023 are 2.5 times higher compared to the same period in 2022 and 58% higher compared to the average of the last five years. Quintana Roo is the leading state reporting Dengue cases in 2023. As many as one in five dengue fever deaths in the Americas occur in Mexico, and the rate of the disease's severity has been increasing for decades, according to the WHO.

Fungal Infections - U.S. residents returning from Matamoros, Mexico, were diagnosed with fungal meningitis infections that have led to severe illness and death. The CDC issued a Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions notice to notify travelers.

Malaria: Malaria is rare in Mexico, and the risk is generally very low. However, health authorities in Mexico reported a small malaria outbreak in Oaxaca in December 2022. Twenty-eight malaria cases have been reported in the town of San Pedro Tapanatepec. This is the first malaria outbreak in Oaxaca in the past ten years.

Measles: Infants visiting Mexico should get one dose of an MMR vaccine before travel. 

Rabies: The state of Oaxaca reported four human rabies cases resulting from bat bites.in December 2022.

Typhoid: Vaccination is recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. In 2017, the state of Yucatan reported an outbreak. In Mexico, the last major S Typhi outbreak (10k) occurred in the 1970s.

Cancun U.S. Department of State

The U.S. Department of State and local embassies have published high-level travel advisories for Mexico states as of August 2023. For example, on March 13, 2023, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a high-level travel advisory related to Spring Break 2023. And as of March 8, 2023, various states have reported civil unrest, including Quintana Roo. The U.S. Embassy for Cancun has issued related notices and suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Program to receive Alerts during an emergency. And consider downloading the "Guest Assist" application on your smartphone if traveling to Cancun. The Mexican government provides information on emergency services and tourist assistance via the app and website. Canada and the U.K. also maintain high-level travel advisories for Mexico.

Cancun Pan American Health Organization

The Health in the Americas country profile for Mexico is based on interagency indicators, with the latest travel vaccine news posted at this link. For example, the Mexico IHR National Focal Point informed the Pan American Health Organization about the detection of a cluster of aseptic meningitis cases and related fatalities of unknown etiology in 2022, all with a history of having undergone surgical procedures with the administration of spinal anesthesia in private hospitals in the city of Durango, Durango State, Mexico. As of February 2023, about 79 meningitis cases were confirmed over the past few months.

The World Health Organization publishes general precautions regarding infection prevention in the publication of PAHO/WHO international travel.

Cancun Tourist Information (Sponsored)

Cancún is located on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, best known for its beaches. Cancun comprises the downtown area, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera. The size of Quintana Roo includes Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel.

Various organizations offer travel advice when planning a visit to Cancun in 2023.