Canada has lost its measles elimination status, the country’s Public Health Agency announced Monday . It’s the first country in the Americas to do so since the pandemic, and it could serve as a warning sign for others.

There are multiple criteria for losing an official measles elimination status , including declines in vaccination rates. The most significant factor is the ongoing spread of the same strain of the virus for a full year.

Canada’s outbreak started in October 2024 in New Brunswick, a province on the country’s eastern seaboard. As of Monday, Canada’s health officials had tallied 5,138 measles cases since the outbreak began. Two babies, infected in utero, were born pre-term and died.

Despite “great efforts” made by Canadian health officials, “the country has lost its mea

See Full Page