THE Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced on Monday that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has notified that Canada no longer holds measles elimination status. PAHO’s Measles and Rubella Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission reviewed recent epidemiological and laboratory data, confirming sustained transmission of the same measles virus strain in Canada for a period of more than one year.
The PHAC said Canada is currently experiencing a large, multi-jurisdictional outbreak of measles that began in October 2024 with cases in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories. While transmission has slowed recently, the outbreak has persisted for over 12 months, primarily within under-vaccinated communities.
PHAC is collaborating with the PAHO and working with federal, provincial, territorial, and community partners to implement coordinated actions—focused on improving vaccination coverage, strengthening data sharing, enabling better overall surveillance efforts, and providing evidence-based guidance.
In October 2025, health ministers from across the country were briefed on the status of measles in Canada and committed to working together and discussing coordinated actions, including strategies to build trust through community engagement. Ministers also acknowledged the importance of health security to collectively protect Canada against public health threats.
Canada can re-establish its measles elimination status once transmission of the measles strain associated with the current outbreak is interrupted for at least 12 months.
Meanwhile, Dr. Margot Burnell, CMA President, said in a statement: “The Canadian Medical Association is disappointed and deeply concerned that Canada has lost its measles elimination status from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
“Although measles is highly infectious disease, it was eliminated in Canada in 1998 thanks to the hard work of Canadians, health care providers and governments and a national commitment to get vaccinated. For more than 25 years, we collectively held measles at bay. We can do it again.
“The CMA echoes the Public Health Agency of Canada: the measles vaccine is the best way to protect you and your family. We strongly encourage Canadians to roll up their sleeves to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.
“For more information on measles and the measles vaccine, we urge Canadians to seek the guidance of trusted health care providers, including their physician, nurse, pharmacist or local public health clinic. Increasingly, clearly false health information is being normalized and it’s causing serious harm to patients, communities and health policy.
“By working together, we can keep all Canadians safe.”
