Canada has lost its measles elimination status as international health experts reported ongoing outbreaks and sustained transmission across North and South America. Health authorities say the virus has been circulating continuously in Canadian communities for more than a year.
So far this year Canada has recorded 5,138 measles cases and two deaths; both fatalities were infants exposed to the virus in utero and born prematurely. Measles typically begins with a high fever and is followed by a distinctive rash that starts on the face and neck. While most people recover, measles remains a leading cause of death among young children and can cause serious complications such as blindness and swelling of the brain, particularly in young children and adults over 30. It is preventable with a routinely administered, safe vaccine.
“No country with the amount of resources of Canada – or other countries in North America even – should lose their measles elimination status,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an infectious disease expert at Brown University, calling the development “deeply disheartening,” “worrisome” and “embarrassing.”
Canada first eliminated measles in 1998, followed by the United States in 2000. After widespread vaccination campaigns, the Americas became the first world region declared free of measles in 2016. Health officials estimate measles vaccination prevented 6.2 million deaths in the Americas between 2000 and 2023. However, vaccination coverage has since fallen below the roughly 95% rate needed to stop outbreaks. Large outbreaks in Venezuela and Brazil in 2018–2019 cost the region its elimination status; it was regained in 2024 but has lapsed again with Canada’s recent loss.
Experts from the Pan American Health Organization reviewed Canada’s outbreak data and concluded the virus has circulated uninterrupted for a year. “As a region, we have eliminated measles twice,” PAHO director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa said. “We can do it a third time.”
Canadian health officials said they are working with government and community partners to raise vaccination coverage, improve data sharing and provide evidence-based guidance.
