Brazilian health authorities have quietly reinstated enhanced health screening at airports and land crossings in the Amazon region after the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned of rising measles cases linked to large-scale gatherings ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. An internal RFI circulated on 18 February and seen by RSOE-EDIS urged member states to “intensify surveillance at strategic transit locations.”
The state of Acre, which borders Bolivia and Peru, declared a public-health emergency last July when its Bolivian neighbour experienced a ten-fold jump in infections. Although Brazil has recorded no indigenous measles cases so far in 2026, border clinics in Epitaciolândia and Assis Brasil have been ordered to verify travellers’ vaccination status and offer on-site MMR jabs. Infants aged 6–11 months entering from high-risk areas receive an additional “zero dose,” following Ministry of Health guidelines.
![Brazil Steps Up Measles Checks at Acre and Other Border Posts After PAHO Alert]()
Travelers who need assistance navigating these evolving entry requirements—including vaccination proofs that now accompany visas—can consult VisaHQ, whose Brazil desk monitors health updates daily and streamlines both visa filings and supporting paperwork. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For international companies rotating staff through oil, mining and infrastructure projects in the region, the measures translate into longer processing times—especially for charter flights using Rio Branco and Cruzeiro do Sul airports, where Anvisa agents are conducting random immunisation audits. Employers should ensure that assignees carry digital or paper proof of two measles doses; otherwise, they may face a mandatory on-arrival vaccination and 72-hour movement restriction.
Failure to comply can trigger fines of up to R$2,000 under Federal Ordinance 888/2021. Travel managers should update pre-departure medical checklists and consider arranging advance MMR boosters, as PAHO warns that the Americas risk losing their hard-won measles elimination status if cross-border transmission is not contained.
The state of Acre, which borders Bolivia and Peru, declared a public-health emergency last July when its Bolivian neighbour experienced a ten-fold jump in infections. Although Brazil has recorded no indigenous measles cases so far in 2026, border clinics in Epitaciolândia and Assis Brasil have been ordered to verify travellers’ vaccination status and offer on-site MMR jabs. Infants aged 6–11 months entering from high-risk areas receive an additional “zero dose,” following Ministry of Health guidelines.
Travelers who need assistance navigating these evolving entry requirements—including vaccination proofs that now accompany visas—can consult VisaHQ, whose Brazil desk monitors health updates daily and streamlines both visa filings and supporting paperwork. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/brazil/
For international companies rotating staff through oil, mining and infrastructure projects in the region, the measures translate into longer processing times—especially for charter flights using Rio Branco and Cruzeiro do Sul airports, where Anvisa agents are conducting random immunisation audits. Employers should ensure that assignees carry digital or paper proof of two measles doses; otherwise, they may face a mandatory on-arrival vaccination and 72-hour movement restriction.
Failure to comply can trigger fines of up to R$2,000 under Federal Ordinance 888/2021. Travel managers should update pre-departure medical checklists and consider arranging advance MMR boosters, as PAHO warns that the Americas risk losing their hard-won measles elimination status if cross-border transmission is not contained.
