Mexico Health Commission Declares Five Beaches Unsafe for Vacationers Due to Bacteria

Mexico's Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) has declared five beaches unfit for vacationers, citing elevated levels of bacteria. The affected locations include Playa de Tijuana in Baja California; Playa del Cuale in Puerto Vallarta/Bahía de Banderas, Jalisco; Playa Principal in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca; and Playas José Martí and Tumbao in Veracruz.

Cofepris strongly recommends that swimmers avoid direct contact and refrain from swimming at these designated unsafe beaches. The commission emphasized that maintaining healthy environments and protecting public health is a shared responsibility. They are coordinating with Clean Beach Committees and local authorities to implement urgent sanitation measures and deploy preventive signage to keep the public informed.

Despite these closures, Cofepris reported that out of 284 beaches monitored between June 15 and July 1, 98.3% are suitable for recreational use for the Summer 2026 period. This assessment involved collecting and analyzing 2,279 marine water samples from 393 strategic verification points across 76 high-traffic tourist destinations in 17 coastal states.

“

Cofepris recommends that bathers refrain from swimming or other recreational activities involving direct contact at the beaches designated as unsafe. Preserving these healthy environments and protecting collective health is a shared commitment.