A 21-year-old Dutch backpacker may have triggered an outbreak of measles in Panama. The young traveler returned last week from a long tour of South America and reported with symptoms of high fever, coughing and a blown-out rash. Doctors quickly diagnosed measles shortly after arriving in Panama City. Subsequently, the young Dutchman was placed in isolation. This is the first time in a long time that the contagious disease has appeared in the Central American country.
Authorities in Panama responded quickly. The backpacker stopped in several countries on his tour, including Colombia and Costa Rica. Panamanian health officials are now trying to track contacts among travelers, hostel guests and transportation company employees. After all, they want to test everyone who came in contact with the infected Dutchman. "This is a highly contagious disease," warns a Ministry of Health spokesperson. "Measles spreads mainly through airborne particles and can sometimes cause life-threatening complications."
Emergency teams are tracking down anyone who has been in contact with the Dutchman. They check vaccination certificates and immediately hand out shots to people who may have been exposed.
The Dutch backpacker had not been vaccinated, a family source reported to AD. Panama has been able to virtually keep measles out of the country in recent years through vaccination campaigns. "A simple jab can protect not only you, but dozens of others in a country where the disease seems to have long been under control," a Panamanian health scientist concludes in the Spanish-language press. In 2025, Panama was still investigating 184 suspected cases, but they all tested negative. Residents are now once again urged to get vaccinated.
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