What Happened
The Ministry of Health is continuing epidemiological surveillance after confirming two imported measles cases in foreign nationals who entered Panama through different routes. Health teams are working to identify everyone who had close contact with the patients so they can be monitored for 21 days and secondary infections can be ruled out.
Pablo González, the national head of epidemiology, said health protocols were activated on Wednesday to prevent the disease from spreading. Both patients have already been discharged, while the tracing effort focuses on people who may have been exposed during their time in the country.
Contact Tracing and Vaccination Efforts
So far, officials have located 386 people who were in contact with the two confirmed cases. Of that group, 70% are vaccinated against measles. As part of the response, a vaccination block was carried out for identified contacts to reduce the risk of further transmission.
Health authorities said they have faced difficulties reaching some people by phone. González urged residents to answer calls if health personnel identify themselves, or to go to a health facility directly if they have questions about possible exposure.
The Ministry of Health also plans to activate a phone line for people seeking guidance, as the two imported cases prompted response measures across all 12 health regions because of the patients’ movement through those areas.
Why the Alert Matters
Measles is a highly contagious disease, and even a small number of imported cases can lead to wider exposure if contacts are not traced quickly. Authorities stressed that, so far, there is no evidence of community transmission in Panama and no asymptomatic cases have been detected.
The monitoring period remains important because measles symptoms can appear after exposure, which is why close contacts are being followed for 21 days. The first case was a male patient who entered through Bocas del Toro, while the second was a female patient who arrived through Tocumen International Airport.
What Residents Should Watch For
The Ministry of Health is reminding the public to keep the national vaccination schedule up to date, especially children, adolescents, and people with a recent international travel history. All Ministry of Health facilities provide the measles vaccine free of charge.
Anyone with measles-like symptoms and a recent travel history or contact with international travelers should go immediately to the nearest health center. Symptoms include high fever, rash or skin spots, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and general malaise.
Health officials say the response remains focused on tracing contacts, vaccination, and surveillance across the regions affected by the patients’ transit.