Canada loses measles-free status amid rising cases

Canada has lost its measles-elimination status nearly 30 years after first receiving the designation, according to ICT. On Nov. 10, the Pan American Health Organization confirmed sustained transmission of the same measles virus strain in Canada for more than one year. The organization said Canada is now the only member state without measles-free status, and noted that the United States and Mexico have until early 2026 to stop the spread of related cases.

Canada has reported more than 5,000 measles cases in 2025, mostly in what officials described as under-vaccinated communities in Ontario and Alberta, ICT reported. “A lot of factors have contributed to this, and much of that I would attribute to misinformation and disinformation that has rapidly been spread around social media,” Jaris Swidrovich, Indigenous engagement lead at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Pharmacy, was quoted as saying. Swidrovich, Ukrainian and Saulteux from the Yellow Quill First Nation, is a pharmacist and assistant professor.

The Public Health Service of Canada issued a statement saying it would work to improve vaccination rates and data sharing. Two infants who contracted the illness before birth are among those who died in the outbreak. Officials must halt transmission for at least 12 months to regain Canada’s status.