Canada is on the verge of losing its 30-year status of measles elimination. This deeply concerning scenario would become a reality as soon as October 2025. During the course of this year, measles cases have increased at dangerous rates. Consequently, public health officials are sounding alarms about the implications of negative vaccination trends across the country. As of 2023, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) acknowledged a staggering 1,177 cases of measles. Seven provinces were affected, with Ontario experiencing the most cases.
In 1998, we reached measles elimination as a country due to successful vaccination campaigns. Combined, these efforts were effective at keeping herd immunity high. What the vaccination rates say right now is a complete opposite tale. Coverage for the first dose of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine had plummeted. It’s plummeted from 89.5% in 2019 to a shocking 82.5% in 2023. Health experts, including those at the CDC, agree that vaccination rates need to be at least 95% to stop measles outbreaks from occurring.
The current surge in measles cases is a clear illustration of how devastating this virus can be. Measles can cause serious conditions like pneumonia, swelling of the brain, permanent hearing loss, and death. Young children and those with depressed immune systems are especially at risk.
Dr. Sarah Wilson, a public health physician, warned it was a moment of crisis.
“It is a very substantial public health issue right now. Canada achieved measles elimination in 1998. We’ve not had outbreaks of this size in more than 30 years,” – Dr. Sarah Wilson.
The highly contagious measles virus has gained a reputation for its swift and deadly spread, particularly in under-immunized communities. Long after you develop symptoms, it can still be contagious, for up to 12 weeks. However, their unique nature makes it crucially important for patrons to be fully vaccinated in order to reduce the risk.
Dr. Wilson reinforced that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are very unlikely to experience the effects of this outbreak. He asked that anyone who still needs their vaccinations work with healthcare providers you know and trust.
Public health officials have become alarmingly concerned about the recent loss of elimination status if the trend continues. PHAC warned that if the chain of transmission persists beyond October 2025, Canada could indeed lose its hard-won elimination status.
Measles, rabies and other diseases have sadly penetrated some communities in the province. These outbreaks are bursting forth in the pockets where people are still unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. Dr. Wilson added.
These vaccines are necessary, and children usually receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months of age. The AMI recommends that the second dose be given between 18 months and six years of age. Since the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, Canada has witnessed a complete turnaround. Measles cases have decreased by over 99%! By comparison, a year earlier, in 2018, Canada experienced only 65 measles cases.
The trend isn’t limited to national parks in Canada. The picture is not much better across the world, with measles cases skyrocketing, particularly throughout Europe and here in the United States, where concern about reverting back to endemic status has increased.
