Canada has officially lost its measles elimination status, as announced on Monday by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This decision comes in the wake of a persistent outbreak that has lasted for 12 consecutive months, undermining the country’s previous standing as measles-free.
With Canada’s loss of status, the Americas region has also seen a decline in its overall elimination status, although other countries in the region continue to be recognized as having successfully controlled the disease. The United States is now at risk of losing its own elimination status if it fails to contain the ongoing outbreak by January. Recent cases have been reported in states including Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina.
Urgent call for increased vaccinations
The outbreak in Canada initiated last October, attributed to a significant drop in vaccination rates against measles. PAHO officials held a press conference on Monday, urging both provincial governments and the public to enhance vaccination efforts, emphasizing that a vaccination rate of 95% is necessary to halt the spread of the virus.
“This loss represents a setback, but it is also reversible,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, the director of the health organization.
In response to the situation, the Public Health Agency of Canada has stated its commitment to work with PAHO and local health authorities to boost vaccination rates and improve data sharing across the provinces. Canada had maintained its measles-free status for three decades prior to this outbreak. The country can reclaim its elimination status if it successfully controls the spread of the current measles strain for at least 12 months.
Vaccination rates and public health challenges
As of now, Canada has reported over 5,000 measles cases in 2025, the majority of which are concentrated in Ontario and Alberta. This figure is significantly higher than the 1,681 reported cases in the United States, despite Canada’s smaller population size. Health officials have pointed out that the majority of the cases are emerging from “under-vaccinated communities.”
In Alberta, for instance, vaccination rates fall below the 95% threshold deemed necessary for herd immunity. In the South Zone, which includes Calgary, only 68% of children under two years old had been vaccinated against measles as of 2024.
The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine remains the most effective defense against this dangerous virus, which can lead to severe health complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death. The vaccine boasts a 97% effectiveness rate and also protects against mumps and rubella.
Canadian immunologist Dawn Bowdish highlighted several factors contributing to the low vaccination rates, including limited access to general practitioners, the lack of a national vaccination registry for Canadians to verify their immunization status, and the proliferation of misinformation. She pointed out the inadequate public health outreach to communities that remain hesitant or distrustful of vaccines.
“It highlights how many of our systems broke down to get us to this point,” said Prof. Bowdish of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
She expressed hope that this situation would serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, emphasizing the need to address systemic issues related to public health.
The Americas was declared the first and only region in the world to achieve measles-free status in 2016, a status momentarily revoked due to outbreaks in Venezuela and Brazil. However, both countries successfully regained their elimination status in 2024, largely thanks to coordinated vaccination efforts that immunized millions.
Unfortunately, as measles cases resurface in North America, Mexico is also experiencing a surge, now ranking among the top ten countries with the largest outbreaks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.