Canada at Risk of Losing Measles Elimination Status as National Outbreak Spreads

Chestermere residents are being reminded of the critical importance of vaccinations as public health experts warn Canada could lose its measles elimination status by the fall, following an alarming surge of cases across the country.
Dr. Marina Salvadori, a senior medical advisor with the Public Health Agency of Canada, issued the caution on Thursday, saying Canada’s official measles elimination status—achieved in 1998—could be revoked if the current outbreak continues beyond mid-October 2025. That designation, granted by the World Health Organization, recognizes that no sustained transmission of the virus has occurred for at least 12 months within the country.
“That could happen,” said Salvadori, referencing the risk of losing the status. “But I think that when people hear ‘lose elimination status,’ they have a lot of fear that measles will re-establish itself again and be common. That does not have to be the case.”
Even if Canada’s elimination status is lost, Salvadori emphasized that it can be regained—but only through concerted public health efforts, community vigilance, and increased vaccine uptake.
As of this week, Ontario alone has reported 1,440 confirmed and probable cases since the outbreak began in October 2024, with 197 new cases reported in the past week. Hospitalization rates remain high: 101 people have been hospitalized in Ontario, 75 of them children, and eight required intensive care.
“Measles is not a trivial infection,” said Dr. Sarah Wilson, public health physician at Public Health Ontario. “Seven percent of Ontario’s cases have required hospitalization. This is a disease with serious complications, and that’s why vaccination is so important.”
The outbreak is part of a wider trend across North America, with Canada, the United States, and Mexico all coordinating through health agencies like the CDC to share data and mitigation strategies.
In Alberta, the measles situation is similarly concerning. Since mid-March, the province has reported 313 cases, including 19 hospitalizations. While Chestermere has not confirmed any cases as of press time, local health professionals are urging residents to review their vaccination records, especially for children.
“Vaccination is our best protection—not just for ourselves, but for our entire community,” said a representative from the Chestermere Public Health Clinic, which continues to offer the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine free of charge to eligible residents.
Neighbouring provinces are also seeing rising numbers. Saskatchewan confirmed its cumulative total had reached 27 cases, and Manitoba has reported 24 cases to date. For the first time in the current outbreak, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories reported cases this week.
At a press conference in Regina, Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, expressed deep concern.
“We are now part of the unprecedented North American measles outbreak,” he said. “We should not be seeing measles in 2025. That we are seeing outbreaks in some communities—as if it were the 1950s—means the social contract to keep one another safe has been broken.”
Measles, one of the most contagious diseases in the world, can spread rapidly in unvaccinated populations. It poses particular danger to infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.
Health Canada and provincial health authorities are urging all Canadians to ensure their immunizations are up to date, especially before summer travel or the start of the new school year.
For Chestermere residents looking to book a vaccination or check records, contact Alberta Health Services or visit ahs.ca/immunize.
“We eliminated measles once,” said Salvadori. “And if we act now, we can eliminate it again.”