PAHO Calls for Enhanced Measles Prevention in Canada Amid Ongoing Outbreaks
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office for the World Health Organization in the Americas, has issued a direct appeal to Canada and other nations to intensify their vaccination and surveillance efforts. This call comes in response to persistent measles outbreaks and significant gaps in immunization coverage across the region.
Canada's Measles Elimination Status Revoked After Nearly Three Decades
In a significant development, PAHO removed Canada's measles elimination status in November 2025, marking the end of nearly 30 years of the country being free from endemic transmission. This decision was based on alarming data from 2025, which recorded 5,436 measles cases across Canada, including two tragic fatalities. The situation has not improved in the new year, with an additional 67 cases reported in the first three weeks of January 2026 alone, according to PAHO's latest figures.
Urgent Alert Issued Ahead of High-Risk Mass Gatherings
This week, PAHO escalated its warnings by issuing an urgent alert, urging countries in the Americas to "intensify epidemiological surveillance, vaccination and rapid outbreak response activities to interrupt transmission and protect vulnerable populations." The organization highlighted the particular urgency of this issue due to upcoming mass gatherings, most notably the FIFA World Cup scheduled for June 2026. For the first time, this global sporting event will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with Toronto and Vancouver serving as key Canadian host cities.
PAHO emphasized that "high population mobility" associated with such events could accelerate the spread of measles, which is recognized as one of the most contagious infections known to humanity. This adds a new layer of concern to the World Cup, already the most-watched sporting event worldwide, which has been fraught with geopolitical tensions, including debates over security measures involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Measles Spread Across the Americas and Demographic Impact
The measles crisis extends beyond Canada's borders, with 14,891 cases reported across the Americas in 2025. Disturbingly, about 78% of those infected were unvaccinated, and 11% had unknown vaccination status, underscoring critical gaps in immunization programs. PAHO's data reveals that while adolescents and young adults accounted for the largest proportion of cases, the highest incidence rates were observed in infants under one year of age, followed by children aged one to four and five to nine years.
"This underscores the need to complete vaccination schedules and employ additional protective measures in outbreak settings," stated PAHO, pointing to the vulnerability of young children who may not yet be fully vaccinated.
Local Warnings and Public Health Preparedness
The alert from PAHO follows a recent report from Public Health Ontario, which warned last month that measles cases are likely in Toronto during the World Cup, with a "major" potential impact. Although ongoing multijurisdictional measles outbreaks in Ontario have had limited effects in Toronto and neighbouring regions so far, experts caution that outbreaks during the World Cup could be more severe. Even if short-lived due to relatively high vaccination rates in Toronto, such outbreaks would impose a significant workload on public health units, requiring intensive efforts in contact tracing, assessment, isolation, and prophylactic treatment.
As measles continues to spread throughout the Americas amid immunization gaps, PAHO stresses that intensified actions are essential to identify cases promptly and close these gaps. The organization's call to Canada serves as a critical reminder of the ongoing public health challenges posed by vaccine-preventable diseases in an era of global mobility and large-scale events.
