Canada stripped of measles status after 25 years Canada has lost its measles-free status after more than 25 years (since 1998). The Public Health Agency of Canada announced that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) stripped Canada of its measles status because the country has been continuously transmitting a type of measles virus for more than a year. The measles outbreak began in New Brunswick in October 2024 and has spread to other provinces. During that time, more than 5,000 people across Canada have been infected with the disease. 

Although the rate of transmission has slowed in recent months, transmission in the country has lasted more than 12 months because some communities with low vaccination rates are still experiencing cases. Once a country has been transmitting measles for more than 12 consecutive months, the disease is no longer considered eradicated. The federal government said it is working with the Pan American Health Organization and provincial governments to increase vaccination coverage, better share data, and provide more up-to-date and accurate surveillance and guidance. The Pan American Organization, which is the World Health Organization's regional office for the Americas, is reviewing epidemiological data and rewriting the text. Say title News source Rewrite the text