Canada Leads The Americas' Measles Outbreak

While there is a global alert issued regarding measles outbreaks, Canada is unfortunately the leader in the Region of the Americas.

As of mid-August 2025, over 4,638 measles cases have been reported to Health Canada.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) weekly update, Canada's national trends show that transmission is persisting, particularly in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario, following an outbreak that began in New Brunswick in October 2024.

"Measles is preventable with two doses of a vaccine, which is proven to be very safe and effective. To stop these outbreaks, countries must urgently strengthen routine immunization and conduct targeted vaccination campaigns in high-risk communities," said Dr. Daniel Salas, Executive Manager of the Special Program for Comprehensive Immunization at PAHO, in a media release on August 15, 2025.

Following Canada, Mexico has reported over 3,911 measles cases this year.

Located between these countries, the State of Texas recently declared its extensive measles outbreak over.

To alert international travelers of this very contagious virus, the U.S. CDC includes Canada in its Travel Health Advisory.

The CDC recommends travelers be fully immunized against measles before traveling abroad in 2025.