Canada Loses Measles Elimination Status After Ongoing Outbreaks

Canada has lost its measles-free status because of ongoing outbreaks of the disease, international health experts said, as childhood vaccination rates fall, and the highly contagious virus continues to

spread across North and South America. The loss of the country’s measles elimination status comes more than a year after the highly contagious virus began spreading. Canada logged more than 5,000 cases of measles this year, along with deaths of two babies, exposed to the virus in the womb and born prematurely. According to the World Health Organisation, elimination of measles represents total elimination of the infectious disease – when a country shows it has stopped the continuous spread of the virus within local communities. Usually, signs of measles include a high fever, along with rash on the face and neck. Even though most people who get the condition recover, it is one of the leading causes of death among young children. Serious complications of the disease include blindness and swelling of the brain, which are more common in young children and adults over age 30.

Earlier, Canada eliminated measles in 1998

Measles was eliminated from Canada in 1998, followed by the United States two years later. However, since the vaccination rates have slipped across the continent of North America, below the 95 per cent coverage rate, there have been several outbreaks reported since. Experts from the Pan American Health Organization, an independent health agency, made the determination after analyzing data on Canada’s outbreaks that showed the virus had spread continuously for a year. Experts believe the US could be the next due to a large outbreak that killed three and sickened nearly 900 across Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma is over. Current outbreaks in the US include 34 cases in South Carolina and one hitting towns on the Arizona-Utah border that has sickened more than 150 since mid-August. According to experts, the genetic strains of measles spreading in Canada match those in the Texas and Chihuahua outbreaks. All those outbreaks affected certain Mennonite Christian communities who trace their migration over generations from Canada to Mexico to Seminole in Texas.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus that causes a widespread rash and flu-like symptoms. However, it is not just a rash. Measles can make you severely ill and lead to life-threatening complications like brain inflammation and pneumonia. It also makes you more likely to get sick with other infections. The symptoms of measles do not appear all at once. It starts with a fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes may appear first. You may then notice a few spots two to three days later, and they will fade when the rash begins. A high fever may develop with the rash. Other symptoms include:

• High fever
• Barky cough
• Red or bloodshot eyes
• Runny nose
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Red spots with white centers in your mouth
• Digestive symptoms like diarrhoea
• Sore throat
• Muscle pain
• Headaches