Health officials warn that explosive global measles outbreak poses risk to Canadian travelers
The global spread of measles shows no signs of slowing in 2026, including explosive outbreaks in travel hotspots like the South US and Mexico, leading public health officials to warn Canadians to check their vaccination status before traveling abroad this winter.
More than 2,700 new cases have been reported in Mexico so far this year. Government data showsIn which most of the infections have been found in infants and young children. Meanwhile, more than 900 new confirmed cases have been identified across the US. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The number of measles cases is rising in Florida, with an outbreak that has resulted in nearly 60 cases in a university near Naples on the southwest coast, with a Rapidly increasing outbreak in South Carolina This is the country’s biggest outbreak since the disease was eradicated more than two decades ago. Hundreds of infections have been reported to date.
Dozens of new infections have also been reported in Canada since the beginning of the year. This includes an increase of more than 70 cases and counting in Manitobaa few months after the country lost its measles elimination status Following a massive outbreak throughout 2025.
Speaking to CBC News, Canada’s acting chief public health officer Dr. Natasha Crocroft – who was previously a senior adviser on measles for the World Health Organization – said the return of measles in Canada had a “devastating” impact on many families.
He said some children suffered brain infections or became deaf and more than 30 needed intensive care during last year’s surge. In 2025, two pre-term infants in Canada also died after contracting measles before birth.
Crocroft stressed that with March break travel approaching, it is paramount to keep more cases out of the country to prevent additional outbreaks.
“When you go to check your passport, check your vaccination status,” he urged. “Things are going wrong in many places… A“And one thing that’s a little different about the situation is that it’s affecting countries that you wouldn’t normally think of as being at risk for measles.”
40-fold increase in cases across America
During the first three weeks of the year, the US saw a 40-fold increase in measles cases compared to the same period in 2025, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced in early February.
Many European nations – such as the UK, which also recently lost its elimination status Now the risk of measles has also increased.
This highly contagious, airborne disease remains a potentially fatal threat, especially for young children, pregnant individuals, and anyone with a weakened immune system. While most people recover, the severity of measles can range from telltale rash leading to serious complications such as respiratory failure and permanent brain damage.
Health officials and medical experts blame the resurgence of measles on several factors, including a rise in anti-vaccination sentiment and a decline in routine childhood vaccinations in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, senior public health adviser at Wellness Equity Alliance, a Los Angeles-based community health center, and a former CDC executive, said investment in public health and vaccination programs is critical to keeping measles under control.
Unfortunately in the US, the public health system has “collapsed” in recent years, leading to public distrust and an “ecosystem where people won’t get vaccinated,” Daskalakis said. That situation is having an ongoing impact, he said, leading to global rhetoric that vaccines cannot be trusted.
Immunization coverage among kindergartners across the US for all vaccines, including the measles shot, during the 2024 school year has declined compared to last year. CDC data shows – While the vaccine exemption for that group increased from 3.3 percent to 3.6 percent.
In its most recent measles alert, PAHO noted that overall vaccination coverage with measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) across the Americas saw a modest increase in 2024 compared to 2023 – from 87 to 89 percent for the first dose and 76 to 79 percent for the second dose – but remains below the 95 percent target needed to prevent outbreaks.
This limitation is due to the fact that measles is one of the most infectious diseases ever seen, making it hard to control without incredibly high vaccination rates, explained Dr. Alon Vaisman, an infectious disease expert at the University Health Network in Toronto.
“Even short-term contact with someone with the infection can put you at risk if you are not vaccinated,” he said.
Most Canadians need 2 doses of measles vaccine
Given how many Canadian families will be traveling to Mexico and other measles hot spots In the coming months, immunologist Don Bowdish said it is important to stay up to date about vaccines, especially for those who are pregnant or traveling with small children.
“It becomes problematic when people are traveling with really young children. We don’t vaccinate (infants) before 12 months in Canada unless there’s an outbreak … and unfortunately, they’re the ones who are most at risk,” said Bowdish, associate professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
She said concerned parents can ask their primary care provider for an initial dose of the measles shot for infants as young as six months of age, although the standard timetable is to provide the first dose at 12 months.
“It means they need an extra dose, but that’s not a problem, and it’s definitely worth the peace of mind,” Bowdish said.
Crowcroft, Canada’s top doctor, agreed that it is important to check the vaccination status of all your family members before traveling.
Canadian Vaccination Guide Routine childhood vaccination for measles usually includes two doses of either the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine or the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) shot – the first dose is given between 12 and 15 months of age and the second is given between 18 months of age and “no later than school entry.”
Children and adolescents who have not yet been vaccinated against measles should also receive two doses of a measles-containing vaccine. Adults born in or after 1970 may need only one dose, but people who are at higher risk of measles — such as people who have traveled abroad — should also get two doses.
The current nationwide outbreak in Canada, with more than 5,000 confirmed measles cases by the beginning of 2025, began with “a person coming back to Canada with measles,” Crowcroft said.
“So you don’t want to be that one person.”
