Canada loses measles elimination status after three decades

Healthy awareness posters related to the measles outbreak during a public health awareness campaign, at the Taber Health Centre, in the largely Mennonite community of Taber, Alberta, Canada, October 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada has lost its measles elimination status after nearly three decades due to its failure to curb a year-long outbreak, the Pan American Health Organization said on Monday, a loss that also results in the Americas region losing the status.

Health experts last month predicted the Pan American Health Organization would strip Canada of the elimination status. The country has recorded more than 5,000 measles cases in nine of its 10 provinces and one northern territory.