Prime Highlights
- More than 1,000 cases of measles are reported in Ontario in 2025, the biggest number ever recorded since 1998.
- High proportion of these cases is found among unvaccinated individuals and is disturbing officials.
Key Facts
- 96% of these cases are within unidentified or unvaccinated communities.
- 31 individuals are admitted in hospitals out of which a single baby and a few expectant mothers.
Key Background
Ontario is already grappling with its biggest measles outbreak in more than two decades, as there were over 1,000 confirmed cases alone for the year 2025. The outbreak is biggest in history recorded because Canada was officially accredited for eliminating measles way back in 1998. Medical authorities are sounding the alarm because the number of cases surpassed the number of cases in the last decade.
The epicentre of this outbreak is located in the Grand Erie and Southwestern regions, which have been struggling with low immunization rates. Vaccine hesitancy and refusal to vaccinate among children in the COVID-19 pandemic are quoted by experts as one of the reasons behind the high spread. Measles is the most contagious illness with a historical record of spreading to 18 people from one case in unimmunized populations.
Admissions have also mounted, with 31 confirmed cases necessitating medical attention. Some pregnant women and at least one child are among those admitted. Most of these patients were unvaccinated, showing the high risk to vulnerable populations. Although some of the vaccinated members of the public have gotten measles, their symptoms have been much less severe, showing the protective quality of the vaccine.
Ontario public health units now urgently ask residents to confirm their immunization status and get the full two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. More travel and big events will take place next year, particularly with warmer weather months, so community immunity needs to be augmented as quickly as possible to stop further transmission. The outbreak is a grim reminder of the need for bulk vaccination to avoid future re-emergence of once-contained contagious disease.
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