Ottawa: Canada has officially lost its measles elimination status after the country experienced more than a year of continuous virus transmission, health authorities confirmed on Monday. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said the outbreak, which spread across several provinces and one territory, ended nearly three decades of Canada being considered free from endemic measles.
The loss of status also affects the wider Americas region, as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced that the entire continent can no longer be regarded as measles-free. The Americas had first eliminated measles in 2016, a milestone that has now been reversed due to rising outbreaks in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Health officials said Canada has recorded over 5,000 confirmed cases this year, the highest in decades, including two infant deaths. The same strain of the virus has continued to circulate for over 12 months, meeting the World Health Organization’s definition of endemic transmission.
Experts have linked the resurgence to falling vaccination rates, which have dropped below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. In some regions, the rate of children receiving the second dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has fallen to around 79 percent. Officials attribute this decline to vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and uneven access to healthcare services.
PHAC said it is working with provincial and territorial authorities to strengthen vaccination campaigns, improve data sharing, and close immunity gaps. “We must restore public confidence and ensure that every child and adult has access to vaccines,” a PHAC spokesperson said in a statement.
PAHO urged all countries in the Americas to take coordinated action to stop the virus from spreading further. The organization warned that the United States could also lose its measles elimination status if ongoing outbreaks continue unchecked.
Health experts described the situation as a wake-up call for Canada and its neighbors. “This is not just a setback, it is a reminder that diseases we thought were gone can return if we let our guard down,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO.
To regain elimination status, Canada will need to interrupt the current chain of measles transmission for at least 12 consecutive months while maintaining high vaccination coverage. Public health officials say that goal is achievable but will require collective action from governments, healthcare workers, and communities.
The World Health Organization continues to emphasize that measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence, and high vaccination rates are the only effective defense. With Canada now facing its largest outbreak in decades, health authorities are calling for renewed vigilance to prevent the disease from becoming endemic once again.