Canada has lost its measles elimination status after more than 25 years...

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the Pan American Health Organization revoked the designation

Canada had held since 1998 but has lost it after confirmation of ongoing transmission of the same strain for over a year.

The outbreak began in New Brunswick in October 2024 and spread to more than 5,000 people, including two infants in Ontario and Alberta who were infected in the womb and died after birth.

Ontario, once the country’s hot spot, ended its outbreak in October after over 2,000 cases, but Alberta’s outbreak continues with nearly 2,000 infections.

Other provinces and territories, including British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories, have also reported cases. In BC, the Northeast region accounts for 75.6 percent of cases this year, totaling 251.

To regain elimination status, Canada must stop transmission of the current strain for at least 12 months. PHAC says it’s working with PAHO and other partners to boost vaccination, improve data sharing, and strengthen surveillance. PAHO’s decision came after reviewing Canada’s recent epidemiological and lab data, with Venezuela and Brazil also losing their measles elimination status.

Public health and infectious disease experts attribute the return of measles to declining vaccination rates, stemming from misinformation-fueled vaccine hesitancy and distrust of authority, as well as the disruption of routine immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Measles, one of the most contagious diseases in the world, requires 95 per cent vaccination coverage to obtain herd immunity.