Key reasons to read this story
- Find out why Canada has lost its measles-free status for the first time in nearly 30 years.
- Discover why more than 5,000 measles cases have emerged in a country long considered to be a public health success.
- Learn how Canada plans to eliminate measles again and why experts say the clock is already ticking.
Canada is grappling with its largest measles outbreak in decades, raising concerns as the number of cases climbs while vaccination rates fall below the level required to prevent the virus from spreading.
Measles spreads extremely easily. One person with the virus can infect as many as 18 others. The illness can lead to serious health problems such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, vision loss, and can even end in death.
As of 8 November 2025, Canada had reported 5,208 measles cases (4,843 confirmed, 365 probable) across 10 jurisdictions. Two infants with congenital infection have died, one in Alberta and the other in Ontario.
Measles-free status revoked
Canada eliminated measles in 1998. Between 1998-2024, it averaged 91 measles cases annually, with yearly totals ranging from 0 to 752 cases.
The recent sustained spread has prompted the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to withdraw Canada’s measles elimination status that it has previously held for nearly 30 years.
“Canada has lost its measles-free verification,” said PAHO director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, noting that the decision reflects a full year of uninterrupted transmission.
Low vaccination rates fuel outbreak
Health officials state the outbreak is closely linked to falling vaccination rates. National measles vaccination coverage dropped from 89.5% in 2019 to 82.5% in 2023, well below the 95% threshold required to prevent community spread.
Public Health Ontario has reported that almost all of those infected this year were unvaccinated.
Experts attribute the decline to misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, difficulties in accessing primary care, and persistent myths rooted in a discredited 1998 study that falsely linked the vaccine to autism.
Vaccine access issues, healthcare disparities, and reduced public health funding in rural and religious communities are driving the resurgence of measles in Canada. Lower vaccination rates in those communities, coupled with the barriers faced by newcomers in accessing reliable vaccine information, have widened the gaps.
Road to regaining elimination status
To regain its elimination status, Canada must record 12 consecutive months without sustained spread. Provincial health ministers have therefore begun to coordinate actions to increase vaccine uptake, bolster surveillance, and support communities with lower coverage.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with the PAHO and partners on targeted outreach and data-sharing initiatives and will present an action plan that is focused on boosting immunization coverage under the PAHO’s framework.
Paul Rota, a retired CDC official, believes Canada can regain measles-free status within 12 months, crediting their diligent surveillance efforts and strategic approach.
Regional background: Measles in the Americas
Canada’s experience reflects wider challenges across the Americas. The U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in over 30 years with more than 1,600 cases having been reported. Mexico has reported nearly 4,000 measles cases, with 93% of the outbreak in the northwestern state of Chihuahua.
Together, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. account for 95% of the region’s 12,596 measles cases (PAHO, Nov 7). Twenty-eight deaths from measles have been reported this year, leading the PAHO to withdraw the Americas’ measles elimination status for the third time.
