By Canada has officially lost its measles-free status, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Monday. The country is now considered endemic for the disease, marking the first time a nation in the Americas has lost this designation due to an ongoing outbreak.
The outbreak began in October 2024 in New Brunswick and has persisted for more than a year—a key factor in determining whether a country maintains measles elimination status. Declining vaccination rates have also contributed to the resurgence.
Since the outbreak began, Canadian health officials have recorded 5,138 measles cases. Tragically, two premature infants died after contracting the virus during pregnancy.
During a press conference, Jarbas Barbosa, chairman of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), said, “Despite great efforts by Canadian health officials, the country has lost its measles elimination status and is now considered endemic for the disease.” He added, “This loss is a setback, of course, but it is also reversible.”
To regain measles-free status, Canada will need to implement a comprehensive strategy, including increasing immunization coverage and strengthening disease surveillance, the public health agency said. Canada had originally eradicated measles in 1998, two years ahead of the United States.
Canada is not alone in the region. Across North, Central, and South America, confirmed measles cases reached 12,593 last week—30 times higher than the previous year. Canada, Mexico, and the United States accounted for 95% of these cases.
In Mexico, roughly 4,000 cases have been documented since February, with most outbreaks occurring in the northern state of Chihuahua. The outbreak has resulted in 23 deaths.
The United States is also experiencing a widespread measles outbreak that began in January 2025. The virus initially spread from West Texas to New Mexico, infecting at least 862 people, most of them in Texas. Three children, including two girls from Gaines County—the outbreak’s epicenter—died. While cases in West Texas are declining, infections have now been reported in 41 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 1,681 cases nationwide this year, the highest in more than three decades. Localized outbreaks have also been reported in Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina.
The resurgence of measles in the Americas comes as vaccination rates decline. A month-long NBC News investigation found that in 77% of U.S. counties, fewer children are receiving routine vaccines, including the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shots. Last year, PAHO reported that countries in the region averaged 79% vaccination coverage for both MMR doses.
Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viruses. It can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room, putting anyone unvaccinated at risk.
PAHO, a division of the World Health Organization, determines whether countries maintain measles-free status. When a virus is considered eliminated, it no longer spreads within a nation or region. Smallpox remains the only virus fully eradicated worldwide. Technically, if one country in the Americas loses its status, the region’s overall elimination status is affected—but Canada is currently the only nation under special scrutiny for an outbreak lasting more than a year.
Daniel Salas, an immunization specialist with PAHO, noted that the Americas account for just 7.5% of global measles cases, with most infections occurring in South Asia and the Middle East.
The Regional Verification Commission, an independent panel of experts appointed by PAHO in 2019, conducts annual reviews of measles control across nations. The panel recently convened in Mexico City to examine the latest outbreak data. PAHO has not confirmed whether the committee will meet in January to address the U.S. outbreak.
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