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Canada loses measles-free status after year-long outbreak
The Pan American Health Organization (Paho) announced on Monday that Canada has lost its measles elimination status following a 12-month outbreak, reversing three decades of progress. The decision also strips the Americas region of its collective measles-free designation, though other countries retain individual elimination status.
The U.S. now faces a similar risk by January unless it contains its own ongoing outbreak, with cases reported in Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina. Canada's outbreak, which began in October 2024, has been linked to declining vaccination rates, health officials confirmed.
Vaccination gaps fuel surge
Paho officials urged Canadian authorities and the public to accelerate immunization efforts, emphasizing that 95% coverage is required to halt transmission. "This loss represents a setback, but it is also reversible," said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Paho's director, during a news conference.
Canada's Public Health Agency pledged collaboration with Paho and regional partners to boost vaccine uptake and improve data-sharing systems. The country can reclaim elimination status if it suppresses the current measles strain for 12 consecutive months.
Outbreak hotspots
Over 5,000 measles cases have been recorded in Canada this year-three times the U.S. total-with Ontario and Alberta bearing the brunt. Alberta's South Zone, including Calgary, reported just 68% vaccination coverage among children under two as of 2024, far below the 95% threshold.
The MMR vaccine, 97% effective against measles, mumps, and rubella, remains the primary defense against a virus that can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, or death.
Systemic failures exposed
Immunologist Dawn Bowdish of McMaster University cited multiple factors behind low vaccination rates, including limited access to general practitioners, the absence of a national immunization registry, and persistent misinformation. "It highlights how many of our systems broke down to get us to this point," she told the BBC.
Bowdish called the status loss a "national embarrassment" and urged policymakers to address systemic gaps: "I hope it will be a wake-up call to remedy these issues."
Regional ripple effects
The Americas, the first region to achieve measles elimination in 2016, saw its status briefly revoked after outbreaks in Venezuela and Brazil. Both countries regained elimination in 2024 through mass vaccination campaigns. Now, North America's resurgence-including a surge in Mexico, now among the top 10 global outbreaks-threatens regional progress.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data underscores the cross-border challenge, with Mexico's outbreak adding to the pressure on continental health systems.
