Canada Could Lose Measles Elimination Status as Cases Surpass 5,000

Canada is at risk of losing its measles elimination status after nearly 30 years, according to federal health officials. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers measles eliminated in a country when no local transmission occurs for at least 12 consecutive months, which expires this week for Canada. 

The Details: As of late October, Canada has reported more than 5,000 measles cases across nine provinces and one territory since the outbreak began in Ontario and New Brunswick last year. Reuters (Center bias) reported provincial data shows declining vaccination coverage–in Alberta, 72% of children had received a second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine by age seven in 2024, down from 82% in 2019. Ontario’s MMR coverage also reportedly dropped from 86.1% in 2020 to 70.4% in 2024. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is expected to meet with member countries in early November to review their elimination status.

In the US: The US has also reported 1,596 measles cases this year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention–the highest annual number in over three decades. On Aug. 18, officials declared the end of a 762-case outbreak in West Texas that began in late January 2025. However outbreaks remain active in several states, including Arizona (77 cases), Utah (56), Minnesota (20), and South Carolina (139).

For Context: Canada was certified measles-free by the WHO in 1998. Health officials attribute the latest outbreak to falling vaccination rates and public skepticism toward healthcare since the COVID-19 pandemic. NPR (Lean Left) wrote measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans, with an infected person able to infect as many as 18 other unvaccinated people on average. The US faces the same elimination deadline in January, and Mexico in February. 

How the Media Covered It: Reuters detailed the falling vaccination rates among children in Alberta and Ontario, including public efforts to quell measles cases like contact tracing and immunization catch-up clinics. The New York Times (Lean Left) compared measles cases between the US and Canada, and pointed to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for vaccination decreases. It noted that while the COVID vaccine saved lives, it didn’t “stop the virus’s spread,” which has made it challenging for government officials to deliver health messages. Breitbart (Right) also compared Canada's measles cases to the US and Mexico’s, saying the country has “roughly three times” as many infections as the US. It also mentioned ongoing outbreaks in both New York and South Carolina.

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