Quebec's public health authority has issued a warning about a potential new measles outbreak following the confirmation of a single case in the Laurentians region, just outside Montreal. This marks the province's first reported infection since April, ending a period of being measles-free and raising concerns among health officials.
Details of the New Case and Public Exposure
The case was officially reported on December 3, 2025. The infected individual visited the UP Centre d'urgences pédiatriques in St-Eustache between 3:30 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. on November 28. Authorities are urging anyone who was in the same area during that timeframe to monitor themselves for symptoms until December 19.
"People who were in the following places during the dates and times specified are considered contacts of a confirmed case of measles. They must isolate themselves if they are not protected against measles," the Quebec Health Ministry stated on its official measles tracker website.
Context and National Measles Status
This development comes less than a month after Canada lost its measles-free status, a designation it had held for over 25 years following the eradication of the virus domestically. According to the ministry, Quebec had not recorded a measles case since its previous outbreak was declared over on April 19, 2025. The last new case before this recent one was reported on March 18, 2025.
This is the 37th measles case reported in Quebec during the 2025 calendar year. Nationally, the situation is more severe. Federal government data from its measles and rubella weekly monitoring report indicates that as of November 22, 2025, Canada had reported a staggering 5,262 measles cases across all provinces and the Northwest Territories.
Vulnerable Populations and Vaccination
Health authorities note that a significant number of the cases reported this year, both in Quebec and across Canada, have been in unvaccinated children under one year old. This age group is particularly vulnerable as they are typically not yet eligible for vaccination according to the standard immunization schedule.
The confirmation of this case in the Laurentians serves as a stark reminder of the virus's persistence and the critical importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage in the population to protect those who are too young or unable to be immunized.
