Measles alert urges countries including Canada to do more amid outbreaks

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

An international health group is calling on countries including Canada to do more amid an increase in measles cases and outbreaks.

In an epidemiological alert, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) urged several countries in North and South America to “intensify” vaccination and surveillance of the infection.

Canada saw a total of 5,436 cases last year, according to the PAHO. Two of these cases were fatal. Already this year, Canada saw 67 confirmed cases in the first three weeks of January, PAHO data suggested.

The alert was issued “against a backdrop of a sustained increase of measles cases in 2025 compared with the previous five years, a trend that appears to be continuing into 2026,” the PAHO said in a news release.

The organization noted a total of 14,891 confirmed cases and 29 deaths in the 13 countries identified in the alert. The case count is a 32-fold increase from 2024, the PAHO said. In addition to Canada, the PAHO’s alert applies to: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the United States and Uruguay.

Of those, the majority of confirmed measles cases have been in Mexico (6,428, with 24 deaths) and the U.S. (2,242 cases, and three deaths).

The most recent 2026 data available – for the first three weeks of the year – showed 1,031 measles cases in seven countries, with no deaths reported in that period. Still, the PAHO warned, “this represents a 43-fold increase” compared to the same period in 2025.

Of those known to have had measles, nearly eight-in-10 were unvaccinated, according to a news release on the alert. Most patients were teens and young adults, but children aged nine and under are the second most impacted group.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease contracted through the measles virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Canadian public health officials say it most often occurs in Canada when an unvaccinated individual travels somewhere where measles is circulating. Once brought back to Canada, it can spread among “people who are unvaccinated or not immune from a previous infection.”

Officials say routine vaccinations are the best way to prevent measles cases and outbreaks. Those who think they’ve been exposed and are not vaccinated are urged to isolate and contact their doctor or local public health team.

There are no specific treatments, but doctors may recommend medication to treat symptoms or manage complications.

Measles symptoms

Early symptoms of measles, which can occur between a week and three weeks after exposure, include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, Canadian public health officials say.

Within a few days to a week after initial symptoms present, many experience a rash that looks like red spots and/or blotches, which starts on the face then spreads across the body. Not everyone gets the rash, or experiences it in the same way.

Most recover within two to three weeks, the Public Health Agency of Canada says.

More common complications include ear infections, pneumonia and diarrhea, but severe complications are possible and could require hospitalization. These are rare, but can include respiratory issues, inflammation or swelling of the brain, and death.