Canada has officially lost its measles elimination status, as announced by the Pan American Health Organization (Paho) on Monday. This comes after the country failed to control a measles outbreak for 12 consecutive months. The Americas region as a whole has also lost its elimination status, despite other individual countries still being considered measles-free. The United States is at risk of losing its status if it cannot halt its ongoing outbreak by January, with cases already reported in Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina.
The outbreak in Canada began in October 2024, with health officials attributing the surge to declining vaccination rates. At a press conference, Paho officials urged Canadian governments and the public to increase vaccination efforts, emphasizing that 95% of the population must be immunized to effectively stop the spread of measles. Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Paho’s director, stated, ‘This loss represents a setback, but it is also reversible.’
Canada had maintained its measles-free status for three decades prior to this outbreak. To regain elimination status, the country must curb the spread of the current measles strain for at least 12 months. In 2025 alone, Canada reported over 5,000 measles cases, primarily in Ontario and Alberta—three times the number reported in the U.S., despite Canada’s smaller population.
The outbreak has been concentrated in ‘under-vaccinated communities,’ with Alberta particularly affected. Provincial data reveals that vaccination rates in some areas, such as the South Zone, which includes Calgary, are as low as 68% for children under two. The MMR vaccine, which is 97% effective against measles, mumps, and rubella, remains the most effective defense against the virus, which can cause severe complications like pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.
Canadian immunologist Dawn Bowdish highlighted systemic issues contributing to low vaccination rates, including limited access to healthcare, the absence of a national vaccination registry, and widespread misinformation. She called for improved public health outreach to hesitant communities and urged policymakers to address these systemic failures.
The Americas had been the first and only region globally to achieve measles elimination in 2016, though this status was briefly revoked after outbreaks in Venezuela and Brazil. Both countries regained elimination status in 2024 through coordinated vaccination campaigns. However, measles has re-emerged in North America, with Mexico also experiencing a surge in cases, ranking among the top 10 countries with the largest outbreaks according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.