In response to the measles outbreak, which has already been treated as a public health emergency in Mexico, the municipality of Progreso, located in the central part of the state of Hidalgo, announced that it will require the use of face masks for virtually the entire population, without exception.
The city council issued the recommendation to the general public, explaining that it stems from the detection of confirmed cases of the disease by state authorities in neighboring municipalities. The city is seeking to implement all possible precautionary measures.
Although the requirement for face masks will initially only apply for two days, coinciding with the popular open-air market (tianguis) that draws residents not only from Progreso—the 33rd most populous municipality in the state with 23,641 people—but also from surrounding areas.
In other words, every Sunday and Monday, residents of Progreso and those visiting the open-air market will be required to wear face masks. This measure aims to prevent the importation of cases from other municipalities, as the market typically attracts dozens of shoppers and visitors.
Furthermore, masks will also be required upon entering the regional public market, another location where crowds are massive and close contact is common, creating ideal conditions for the transmission of the measles virus.
While the city council did not specify whether there would be any penalties for those who do not comply, nor did it detail the types of masks required, health authorities recommend all available models, from the classic blue ones and cloth masks to more advanced options like the KN-45.
Regarding the above, the most recent epidemiological report from the Hidalgo State Health Secretariat (SSH) stated that the state has registered only a small percentage of the measles cases detected throughout Mexico, with just seven, although it was asserted that this should not be considered a positive sign.
In that regard, Pachuca has identified the highest number of infections, three, one of which was the so-called “patient zero” in the state, a one-year-old girl; the other two cases involved a seven-month-old baby boy and a 31-year-old man.
In Actopan, two more cases were confirmed, corresponding to women aged 21 and 30, respectively; while the last two cases occurred in the municipality of Santiago de Anaya, involving a 48-year-old woman and a four-year-old boy. It was noted that the disease can affect people of any age.
In that regard, the SSH called primarily on mothers and fathers to check their children’s vaccination records and if the measles vaccine does not appear, they should go to a hospital, health center or official point of sale, for which 139,162 doses were applied during 2025.
Source: lasillarota
