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8h ago

Alberta Surpasses U.S. in Measles Cases as New Brunswick Declares Outbreak

Falling vaccination rates have undermined herd immunity, allowing measles to spread across multiple provinces.

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A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont., on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins

Overview

  • Alberta confirmed 1,314 cases since March, surpassing the U.S. total of 1,288, with over 100 Albertans hospitalized; experts warn that community-level transmission could jeopardize Canada’s measles-free status before fall.
  • New Brunswick’s south-central region has declared an outbreak after three confirmed and five probable measles cases emerged, prompting targeted immunization clinics and active investigations.
  • Manitoba has reached 130 confirmed cases—the highest since measles elimination in 1998—as daily reports and probable infections suggest the true toll is even higher.
  • The European region recorded 148,974 measles cases in 2024, its worst outbreak in 27 years, underscoring global risks from declining MMR uptake.
  • Health officials caution that MMR coverage has fallen below the 95% threshold in many areas, with pockets as low as 63.8% among young children in Manitoba and under 74% in parts of Liverpool, leaving communities vulnerable to further transmission.