Canada Loses Measles-Free Status as Outbreaks Persist
Ottawa – Canada has lost its measles-free status, according to a determination made by experts at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) after analyzing data showing continuous spread of the virus for a year. The country originally eliminated measles in 1998,and the Americas region achieved elimination in 2016,but declining vaccination rates have reversed that progress.
Measles presents initially as a high fever,followed by a characteristic rash beginning on the face and neck. While most people recover, the world Health Organization identifies it as a leading cause of death among young children, with potential for serious complications like blindness and brain swelling, particularly in young children and adults over 30. A safe and routinely administered vaccine effectively prevents the disease.
The Americas had previously reclaimed measles elimination status in 2024, following large outbreaks in Venezuela and Brazil in 2018 and 2019 that initially cost the region its status. Between 2000 and 2023, the measles vaccine is estimated to have prevented 6.2 million deaths across the Americas.
However, vaccination coverage has fallen below the 95% threshold needed to maintain elimination.”It’s a deeply disheartening progress. It’s a deeply worrisome development. And, frankly, it’s an embarrassing development,” stated Jennifer nuzzo, an infectious disease expert at Brown University. “No country with the amount of resources of Canada – or othre countries in North America even - should lose their measles elimination status.”
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, director of the PAHO, acknowledged the ongoing challenge of measles control, stating, “As a region, we have eliminated measles twice. We can do it a third time.”
Canadian health officials have responded with a commitment to collaborate with government and community partners to improve vaccination coverage, data sharing, and evidence-based guidance.
A related report details the scale of the outbreak: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/06/measles-outbreak-ontario-canada
