Measles cases rise in Quebec

Measles was eradicated in Canada through vaccinations, but it’s quietly spreading again in Quebec.

The provincial Ministry of Health and Social Services revealed Thursday that “a few cases of measles” have been recorded in recent weeks and that “they were not all linked to a return from travel.”

However, the exact number of cases and their regions have not been specified.

The return of measles can be explained by a lower vaccination rate which as fallen 95 per cent below the threshold, which is the minimum immunity guarantee for Quebecers. 

Now, people who contract the disease outside Quebec are more likely to bring it back and spread it.

Measles started to circulate again in several places in the world, not just Quebec.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, issued a warning last week in a statement about the rising cases.

“Although measles has been eliminated in Canada, cases can still occur here when an individual who is not fully vaccinated has travelled to or from a country where measles is circulating,” she wrote. “Imported cases can lead to subsequent spread of measles in Canada among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people. As of Feb. 23, 2024, we are aware of six measles cases in Canada, some of whom have required hospitalization.”

Additionally, The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 306,000 cases of measles were documented worldwide in 2023 which is an increase of 79 per cent compared to 2022.